Tag Force: Learning to Duel
by Hiyuusha
Summary: Before venturing to Neo Domino City, he was a student like any other. Appearing a month into classes, Konami finds solace in the cards he plays and friends he makes. However, dark forces are at work in Duel Academy, and if he wishes to protect that which he holds dear he'll not only have to solve the mystery of the Shadowriders, but of the evil that guides them as well. A Prequel.
1. Storm X Dorm

Konami Kodo hated storms.

They were cold and murky, typically accompanied by a frightful or depressing air. However, it was not these reasons that earned the young teen's spite, but rather, the fact that they kept him from his single, upmost desire: an education.

It had started a month ago, on the piers of Tropica City.

A tropical paradise frequented by tourists, Tropica City was the homeland of our resident hero, the aforementioned Konami Kodo.

A young man in his own right, Konami spent much of his life surrounded by the presence of Duel Monsters, a fact not lost on his caretakers. It was for that reason they saw fit to send him to the most prestigious academy they could afford, that being Kaibacorp's very own Duel Academy, renowned the world over for its many graduates and successes.

Of course, such an education didn't come without a price. Sending a child to Duel Academy was a rather expensive venture after all, and without the Duel Examinations available to those born in Domino City, the Kodo family was hard-pressed to cover the costs.

Luckily, relief came in the form of an unseen benefactor, who not only provided the funds required for Konami to attend the school, but provided a means of transportation to arrive there as well.

Transportation, as Konami had come to discover, that was less than accommodating.

Not a day into the trip did a grand storm strike, turning what was meant to be three day trip… into a two week trip.

Never before had Konami loathed the mediocre pace of repairmen so much.

Regardless, Duel Academy had finally come into view, and if it wasn't for the horrendous rain, Konami was certain that the view would almost look… nice.

"Ere we are!" the Captain roared from behind him, the boat having just pulled into the pier after two long, grueling weeks at sea. "Duel Academy! Last stop!"

"The only stop." Konami corrected, gazing out into the stormy weather from the dry confines on the ship's interior.

"No complainin' now. This is what you wanted, ain't it?" the Captain questioned with a cheerful grin on his face. "Four long, youthful years at the greatest Duel School in the world!"

"Three and three quarters." Konami corrected, gently reminding the man that he'd already missed the first month of classes due to the untimely storm that had set in.

"Aye. Now then, you've got everything you need? Gear intact? I won't be able to turn around once we set out, so the last thing we'd want is for you to forget something on your way out."

"I have everything." Konami said, subtly feeling for a small holster attached to his belt.

The Captain chuckled, noticing the gesture. "I see. Well, that's all you really need now isn't it?" he nodded to himself happily, before turning to regard the gathering members of his crews. "Alrigh' ye lads! As Tropica City's finest crew, it's our duty to send the wee lad here off with style! Are ye' ready boys?!"

"How long do you plan on talking like that?" One of his men asked.

The Captain flinched.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm speakin' like I always do!"

"Whatever." Another crewman perked up. "You know he's just trying to liven things up. We haven't had a real "guest" on this ship for a few years after all."

"Speaking of guests…" the first crewman replied, "you know the kid's long gone right?"

"What?!" the Captain exclaimed, quickly glancing around the ship for any sign of Konami.

It was true.

The boy had vanished.

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

**Learning to Duel**

**Arc One - Chapter One**

**Lord of the Red**

Outside, Konami glanced up toward the sky, allowing the cold rain to splash against his face. It'd been a long trip, but finally he'd arrived.

Duel Academy, his home for the next four years.

Briefly Konami wondered what kind of people he would meet there, and whether or not any of them would drag him into any exciting adventures. The thoughts were struck just as quickly as they came. He was there for an education, not to fool around. He didn't want to accidently upset whoever it was who paid for his tuition after all, whoever it was that bit the bullet in the first place. His caretakers never did tell him who it was… perhaps he had a mystery on his hands…?

The sound of approaching footsteps cut off that line of thought.

"Huff….! Huff….!" An older, strained voice wheezed out into the storm, drawing the boy's attention. "Curse that Chancellor, who does he think he is, sending me on a chore like this as punishment?!"

It didn't take long for Konami to realize that the voice belonged to an older man, but one still young enough to handle physical activity. As the exhausted silhouette of the speaker came into full view, Konami resisted the urge to flinch. He knew that Duel Academy was said to be filled with colorful characters… but he was never expecting… this.

A rather extravagant looking "girly man", for lack of a better term, appeared in full force, glowering down upon Konami with those large… purple… lips.

Was that… lipstick?

"Hmmm… well, it seems Chancellor Shepard was right after all! There _was_ a student arriving today!" the man said to himself, leaning back to tower over the teen forcefully. "My name is Vellian Crowler. _Doctor_ Vellian Crowler to you. I am one of the teachers here at Duel Academy. I take it _you_ are the student who was waylaid for the past two weeks?"

Konami nodded, unsure how he was supposed to respond to the man standing before him.

"Good. Yes, very good. It was unfortunate that your only means of transportation broke down when it did, as a result you've missed the few orientation classes hosted to get students accustomed to their new surroundings. Oh well, I suppose you'll just have to get used to them in your own time. That being said, don't forget that you'll have plenty of make-up work to catch up on due to your late arrival. You'd do well not to slack off like a few other students I can think of."

Dr. Crowler's face seemed to scrunch up in pain at the mere thought of the students he was referring to, and he clenched his fists in some strange mixture of pain and annoyance.

"Oooh! I just get so fed up when I think of that dropout!" the teacher glowered. "If I had it my way…! Ahem," he paused, coughing several times before regaining his more professional demeanor. "Regardless, just be certain to keep up on your studies."

"Understood." Konami agreed.

"Now then, as for the matter of your residence here." Crowler frowned, fiddling around in his pockets in search of the instructions he'd received from the Chancellor earlier that day. "Ooh, where is it…? Ah! Here they are! Now then, let's see… If I remember correctly you were supposed to be placed in the Ra Yellow Dorm correct?"

Konami nodded his head once, remembering hearing something along those lines during the interview process.

"Well, it seems we've hit a bit of a stump in that regard." Crowler explained. "As it turns out, the Ra Yellow Dorm's out of the question at the moment. It's just that… well, spaces are quite tight at the moment you see and since you took so long to get here… we may have… "accidently" loaned out your room to another young, bright student such as yourself. It is unfortunate, but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Still, that puts us in a dilemma as where you'll be spending your first year here…."

Konami's eyes narrowed slightly as he tilted his head toward the ground. He should have known something like this would've happened. It seemed as though bad luck followed him around wherever he went. Still, how in the world was it possible that they didn't have enough spaces at his Dorm…? Even more importantly… where in the world was he going to sleep?

His questions would be answered by the arrival of yet another member of faculty, and surprisingly, this one _didn't_ look like a circus reject.

"Oh! Dr. Crowler, it seems I finally caught up to you then! Thank goodness."

Crowler blinked at the sudden voice behind him, turning only to come face-to-face with a beautiful young woman dressed in what appeared to be some variant of an Obelisk Blue uniform.

"M-Miss Fontaine!" the man cried out in surprise. "W-What are you doing out here in this weather? Is that healthy for you?!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" she asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. "A little rain never hurt anyone, well, at least not _too_ much. Chancellor Shepard sent me to make sure everything was proceeding well with the new arrival. I assume this is him then?"

"Mmm…." Crowler nodded. "Indeed. This is the boy. We were just discussing his room accommodations."

Konami moved his head in agreement with the man. "My name is Konami Kodo. It's nice to meet you."

"Konami Code?" Ms. Fontaine asked curiously, "What a strange name… Ah! Sorry, how rude of me! I'm Fonda Fontaine, the Head Nurse here at the Academy. Well, that's really only one part of my duties. I'm also in charge of the Girl's Dorm as well. Ah, and that reminds me why I came here in the first place!"

She quickly turned back toward Dr. Crowler, retrieving a small notice and handing it to the man.

"Hmm? What's this?"

"It's an order to get the old room in the Slifer Red Barracks refurbished. Konami here will need somewhere to stay after all, and since both the Obelisk Blue and Ra Yellow dorms are filled, there's not much of an option but to move him in there for the time being. That being said…" she glanced away with an ashamed look on her face for a brief instant, "the only room available there doesn't meet any of the safety guidelines… even for a Slifer Red Room."

"W-What?!" Crowler reeled back in horror. "You expect me to send this boy to live with those… those…! Those delinquent dropouts?!"

"Well," Ms. Fontaine said, "in theory it'd only be until room opened up in one of the other dorms… but even if we talk about it now… he still can't move in until the room is refurbished, which is why it's so important that you sign off on the sheet I just gave you."

"But why do I have to be the one to do it?" Crowler complained. "Now it'll look like I'm favoring those slackers! And to send a promising student there as well…. What does the Chancellor think he's doing?"

"His job, as should you." Ms. Fontaine said cheerfully. "Or would you prefer I tell him that you refused to sign the order?"

Crowler's eyes peeled wide open at the threat. "N-No, no! I'll sign it! But that still doesn't explain where he'll be staying until the room's finished. Will he be camping out in the Faculty Lounge?"

"Oh Crowler, you're so silly!" Ms. Fontaine laughed. "You know that room is for staff only! He'll be staying in one of the spare rooms at the Girl's Dorm."

"Ah! I see, I see…." Dr. Crowler nodded.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that he realized what Ms. Fontaine had just said.

"WHAT?! The Girls' Dorm?! Preposterous! You can't have a boy there! It's against the rules! Can you imagine what kind of things they'd get up to?!"

"Is that really alright?" Konami cut in, deciding to make his voice known after a long period of silence.

"Oh, of course it's all right!" Ms. Fontaine said to him, ignoring Crowler's outburst completely. "I already talked it over with Chancellor Sheppard, and he agreed it'd be fine so long as you weren't stuck there for more than a few days. Since Crowler here is already signing off on the refurbish order, it's likely you won't have to spend but one or two nights there!"

"R-Right!" Crowler agreed hastily, "The less time he spends there the better! We don't need him corrupting any of our young female Duelists after all!"

"Corrupting?" Konami muttered to himself quietly. "Funny, and just a moment ago he was saying how outrageous it was for me to be stuck in the Slifer Red dorms…. He sure does change his tune quickly."

"Right?" Ms. Fontaine chirped happily before clapping her hands together. "Well then! I guess it's settled! I'll leave you to handle all the paperwork regarding the room Dr. Crowler! I need to show our guest here to his temporary abode."

"R-Right! You go and do that!" Crowler said, "I need to talk with the Chancellor to see if we can expedite this refurbishing thing. Run along now!" He turned back to Konami, suddenly gazing upon him with a wary eye. "And you don't do anything unusual you hear? Or I'll have you expelled faster than you can say _Direct Attack_!"

"I understand." Konami nodded. "I'll follow the rules appropriately."

"Good. That's… good." Crowler nodded, staring at the boy for several more seconds before remembering he had places to be.

He turned without a word, his long dress coat billowing in the rain as he disappeared into the darkness. Ms. Fontaine giggled happily as she watched him leave.

"That Crowler. He's such a character isn't he? Well, I suppose we've spent enough time out here in the rain. What do you say I show you to the dorms before we both get sick?"

"That'd be great."

"Alright then!" Ms. Fontaine shouted cheerfully. "Then here we go!"

And so they walked… but despite Ms. Fontaine's exclamation that had led Konami to believe they were in for quite the trek, the Girls' Dorm turned out to be no longer than a five minute walk from the pier. Surprising, given the massive size Duel Academy had turned out to be.

"Well, here we are!" Ms. Fontaine said, coming to a stop outside a large white building with a blue roof. "The Obelisk Blue Girls' Dorm! It's not much, but please tray and enjoy it during these next few days!"

"….That's not true. This is plenty." Konami said, staring in wonder at the giant facility. "Are you sure it's alright for me to be here?"

"Of course it is!" Ms. Fontaine waved him off as they entered the lobby. "Didn't I already tell you that I got the OK from the Chancellor himself? There's nothing to worry about! Now then, hang tight here for a minute while I go make sure everything's in order. The last thing we need is some kind of hiccup seconds before you arrive, right?"

Nodding in agreement, Konami could do nothing but watch as the woman left him alone in what was potentially any male student's paradise. Well, excusing the female baths anyway. It didn't take long for him to wonder how many other male students his age managed to find their way into this top-secret location. It couldn't have been a very large number, then again, it wasn't as if the security they'd encountered on the way in was all that thick.

"H-Huh?!"

The sudden shout of a feminine voice drew Konami's attention. Turning slowly, he found himself approached by a young woman with short brown hair.

"A boy?! In here?! But why…?!" a dark look passed across the girl's features. "Who are you? You're not some kind of pervert are you? Answer me!"

Konami flinched. It figures such a thing would occur mere seconds after Ms. Fontaine left him to his own devices.

"I'm…"

"What's all this racket down here?" another female voice suddenly called out.

"Did I hear something about a boy?"

Before he could accurately respond, Konami was suddenly surrounded on all sides by what seemed to be at least half the dorm's population.

"No way… it really is a guy! How'd he get in here?"

"He's not wearing the school uniform. Is he some kind of intruder?"

"I wonder if he got lost…."

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," a long-haired girl said, "but still… seeing a boy in here _is_ kind of surprising."

"Hey." The first girl said to him, approaching him quickly with a stern expression. "I'm still waiting for an answer!"

Konami frowned, rubbing his forehead lightly as he attempted to ignore the many hushed whispers circling around him. He needed to fix this first impression quickly, or else his time at Duel Academy would be surrounded by rumors he'd rather not have to deal with.

"I'm Konami Kodo." He said after a moment, choosing his words carefully. "A new student here at the school. My own room is still being dealt with at the moment, so Ms. Fontaine said I'd be staying here for a while instead."

"H-Huh?!" the girls' eyes widened. "You're staying here? No way! This is kind of joke right? Did you really think I'd fall for that?!"

"It's the truth." He replied.

"A boy staying here? That's so weird…. Are the boys' dorms really that filled?"

"Well, he did mention Ms. Fontaine…."

"He could be making it up. I mean, he's not even wearing the school uniform!"

"If he really is a Transfer Student it's possible he just hasn't received his yet."

"I dunno… smells kinda fishy to me."

The girl in front of him frowned, but made no move to either retreat or strike out at Konami. Instead, she folded her arms and scowled.

"Alright, I'll buy it for now. We'll just have to wait for Ms. Fontaine to show up and sort this all out then. But you should know, if I find out you're not supposed to be here it won't end well! Sneaking into a girls' dorm like this… it's just not right!"

Konami sighed in relief. The girl in front of him wasn't happy about it, but it seemed she was willing to wait for further proof before doing anything rash.

Fortunately, it didn't take Ms. Fontaine long to finish whatever it was she was doing. She came back not long after Konami had been completely surrounded, a cheerful smile on her face as she turned the corner leading back to the lobby.

"Alright then Mr. Kodo, your room's just about ready now so… oh!" she paused, having realized she'd walked into the middle of a large crowd filled with her many charges. "Already making friends I see! That's good! Being a Transfer Student, I was worried you might have a hard time fitting in."

"No. This is…" Konami trailed off, averting his eyes from everyone around him.

"Huh?" the first girl blinked, turning to regard the older woman with an expression of shock. "Ms. Fontaine, don't tell me you know this person?!"

"Hm? What are you talking about?" Ms. Fontaine said curiously. "He's our new resident for the next few days. He was supposed to arrive earlier, but it seems the ship he was sent on had a bit of an accident while out at sea…."

"An accident…?" the girl asked, "Wait. No, that's not the problem here. You said something about a room right? You mean he's really going to be staying here… with us?"

Ms. Fontaine smiled. "It's only for a few days while his room at the Slifer Red Dorm is refurbished. It doesn't quite meet standards at the moment, even for a Slifer Accommodation."

"A Slifer…." The girl trailed off, tilting her eyes to the ground for several seconds while churning the information about in her head. "Alright. I understand. It's only for a few days right? Then he'll be out of here?"

"That's right, you grasp this pretty quick, Ms. Miyata." Ms. Fontaine smiled.

Sighing, the girl turned her attention back to Konami with a frown. "Sorry about that. You're just a new student, and here I was treating you like you're some kind of creep. Anyway, I'm Yuma Miyata. It's only for a few days, but let's along, alright?"

She extended her hand as a kind gesture. Konami stared at it for several seconds before making his decision.

"It's fine. I'm sure I would have done the same in your position. I'm Konami, I'm in your care."

One thing was certain, he thought quietly, watching the many girls of the dorm close in on him curiously. It seemed as though he'd be making quite a few introductions in the near future.

"Alright, alright!" Ms. Fontaine said helpfully, stepping in before the crowd come become overwhelming, "I'm sure you're all eager to meet our new neighbor, but I'm sure he's had a busy day. It's probably best if I went ahead and showed him to his room. Besides, the rest of you should be turning in for the night as well."

The girls sighed and groaned at the announcement in unison. Well, most of them anyway. More than a few seemed to care little for the fact a boy was staying in their dorm in the first place. Konami knew he'd have to remember to be wary around them.

"Alright then, lights out!" Ms. Fontaine repeated ever so cheerfully, immediately dismissing the girls back to their rooms before acknowledging her temporary charge once more. "And now, if you'll follow me, I'll be more than happy to show you to your room."

"Ah…." Konami said, "Thanks."

Falling in line behind the older woman, Konami felt the day's events catch up with him upon seeing his temporary accommodations. A large, comfy bed, a full view of the Academy below… it was paradise! Were all the rooms in Duel Academy like this? Far from the dry dorm room look he was expecting, the room looked more like something out of a five-star hotel!

"Is this-?"

"Oh, sorry, that's my room." Ms. Fontaine explained, "Yours is the one across the hall."

Konami resisted the urge to face-plant. Really, he should have expected as much. A five-star room for a first-year student…? Impossible.

"Here's the key. It's a little older, but it'll have to do." Ms. Fontaine apologized, "It was really the only one I could afford to give you, seeing as it has a bathroom of its own. We certainly can't expect you to bathe with the girls after all now can we?"

Yes. Yes you certainly could.

Konami had the decency to blush at the thought.

"Anyway, you must be feeling pretty tired, so go ahead and feel free to turn in for the night. Oh, and I nearly forgot. Your uniform's already inside. It's a Red one, given that you'll be moving to the Slifer Barracks in just a few days, but that isn't a problem is it?"

"No. Not at all." Konami smiled gently. "You've been a big help today. Thank you."

"Ah, no need to thank me!" Ms. Fontaine laughed. "It's my job to take care of my students."

She waved extravagantly before stepping inside her room. "Night!"

Her door slammed shut without another word, leaving Konami in the cold, dark hallway alone. He too turned and entered his room, feeling none too eager for a repeat of what happened in the lobby.

"Just as I thought…." He sighed quietly to himself while flicking on the lights, "I was expecting too much."

It was hard to describe the scene he'd found himself staring at.

The room, while not an absolute disgrace to the Obelisk Blue name, wasn't quite a five-star hotel either. It was… relatively normal. Bare white walls free of any posters or writing stared at Konami silently as he set his bag off to the side. The ceiling fan hung low, and outside of the bed, desk, and closet there was nothing of interest in the room itself. Konami could see the extra door leading in toward the bathroom, and upon examination, nothing unusual was in the bathroom either.

Konami sighed.

At least the shower was free of the disgusting stains so commonly associated with Dorm Showers. The toilet and sink were fine as well.

He did his business, and returned to his room.

"And so the story of man yet again runs in a dreary circle, because he is not yet master of the earth that holds him."

"!" Konami glanced toward his bed, where an aged, frail-looking man in a wheelchair sat patiently by its side.

A million questions ran through his head at that moment, the most important being….

"Who are you?"

"I am but a remnant of an age gone by…. A reminder if you will, of the past that is, and future that may be." The old man chuckled.

"_Scrooge?"_ Konami wanted to say, but couldn't. Something about the man put him on edge, and he didn't feel as if he had enough courage at the moment to say as he pleased.

So he just listened.

"It has been quite some time since this room has been used…" the old man explained, "why, the time of the first Chancellor himself in fact, back when this dorm was co-ed….. It was here he spent his evenings, if I am not mistaken."

"The first Chancellor slept here?" Konami asked curiously.

It was an interesting tidbit of information, not that he cared all that much for history.

"Indeed. Who knows, the room may be filled with all kinds of information, if you know where to look."

"I see. Who are you?" Konami asked again, realizing he hadn't quite received a proper response the first time.

Yet again, the aged man chuckled.

"Just an old man satisfying his curiosity. It is rare for this Academy to accept Transfers a month in. Why, I suspect it's only been done twice before. Forgive an old man on wishing to lay eyes upon one of these "Transfer Students" himself. If you don't mind, I think I'll be leaving now."

He turned about in his wheelchair and made to leave, somehow managing to open the door without breaking so much as a sweat. He closed the door behind him after giving Konami one last stare.

"…."

Konami made a mental note to inform Ms. Fontaine that there was an old man creeping about the girls' dorms. He glanced toward the desk, where a single card lay, giving off a gentle glow.

"Yata-Garasu." He read, picking the card from its place on the cold wood and staring at it purposefully. "This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card returns to its owner's hand during the End Phase of the turn it was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, they skip their next Draw Phase."

The image of the purple raven seemed to jump out from the card itself, but Konami knew his eyes had to be playing tricks on him. After all, there was no way Duel Monsters could be real, right?

He glanced out the window, gazing toward the surprisingly clear view of the moon.

"The rain stopped."

The sound of the door knocking drew his attention.

"Coming."

He set Yata-Garasu back upon the desk, before pulling his night clothes on and making his way to the door. Creaking it open ever so slightly, he gazed out into the hall only to be greeted by three of the girls from the lobby. If he remembered correctly, two of them were of the opinion that having a boy at their dorm wasn't such a bad thing after all.

The third one. He hadn't gotten any vibes from her in either direction. What was she thinking…?

"Oh. Sorry, were you asleep?" She asked politely, she and her accomplices till clad in the Obelisk Blue Girl's Uniform.

"Not at all." Konami said. "Was there something you needed?"

"Go ahead Alexis, now's your chance!" the black-haired girl whispered furiously into the girl's ear, as if Konami couldn't hear.

The girl, Alexis, Konami remembered, sighed. Evidently she didn't care much for her friend's words.

"Sorry about this. Ms. Fontaine took the time to ask if we'd show you to the class building tomorrow. These two thought it'd be a good idea to bother you now instead of later, so I thought we'd let you know."

"H-Hey Alexis! You're not supposed to give us away like that!" her other friend, one with spiky brown hair exclaimed angrily.

"You two…." Alexis sighed, "Stop trying to set me up with boys. This is the third time this week. Need I remind you what happened last time, with Zane?"

"T-That was Mindy's fault! It wasn't my plan I swear!"

"Jasmine!"

Mindy and Jasmine, Konami noted. So those were their names. He glanced back toward Alexis, who was obviously the leader of this little 'trio' of sorts.

"Thanks. I'll be sure to consult you in the morning." He nodded appropriately. "Was that all?"

"Yes." Alexis nodded with a smile, happy in the fact that he wasn't going to make a big deal out of things. "We'll be getting out of your hair now."

"Ah, actually, hold on a moment." Konami said, remembering something important. "On your way down here… you didn't happen to see an old man in a wheelchair did you?"

"An old man?" Mindy asked.

"In a wheelchair?" Jasmine finished.

"Uh… sorry, I don't think so." Alexis said after a moment, "Why, should we have?"

"No… it's just…" Konami rubbed his eyes for a moment. Maybe he was just tired after all. "Sorry. Never mind."

"You should get some sleep." Alexis recommended. "Crowler has the first class in the morning, and he doesn't care much for late students, though that doesn't seem to stop that Yuki….."

Not knowing who this "Yuki" character was, nor sure he should care, Konami settled for nodding patiently at the girls.

"Right. I'll get right on it." He agreed. "Night."

"Night." The three girls replied, the door closing in front of them as Konami returned to his room.

"Tomorrow." He mused to himself quietly, listening to their chirps and gossip as they vanished down the hall. "The first day of the next four years…. I should be careful how I approach other guys tomorrow. Since they're going to be my new dorm mates… first-impressions are everything."

He collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion, never realizing that the Yata-Garasu card on the desk… was still there.

**Arc One - Chapter One**

**END**

**As promised, the first chapter to the Tag Force prequel is now up. It's only the first day of Konami's new life as a Transfer Student at Duel Academy, and already he's being approached by mysterious characters. Does this have anything to do with his mysterious benefactor, the reason he's able to attend the school in the first place, or is it all unconnected? Find out, next time, on ****Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force – Learning to Duel!**


	2. Tour X Score

It was early.

The morning light of the rising sun had yet to appear over the grand island of Duel Academy, and yet, Konami Kodo could not help but wake. It was uncharacteristic of him, certainly. He himself knew that he was a natural late riser, often waiting well into the day before emerging from the wondrous state he called sleep.

Glancing about quietly, he yet again caught sight of the Yata-Garasu card seated upon his desk; proof that last night's events were not part of some ill-thought hallucination. Konami didn't know whether or not to be soothed by that fact. Regardless, he knew worrying about it would do no good. If the girls from last night were to be believed, there was nothing proving that an old man in a wheelchair had been present in the building at all, and anyone could claim that Yata-Garasu had been Konami's all along.

It would do the boy no good to be treated as some kind of conspiracy theorist before anyone had a chance to truly know him.

"….How frustrating." he sighed finally, deciding to leave things be for the moment.

He rose from the bed, leaving the covers scattered about messily as he made his way into the closet bathroom. Nothing better to wake oneself up than a nice, long shower after all. Silently, he removed his clothing piece by piece, stepping inside the small screen door and turning the water to rinse. Almost instantly he felt the sharp, icy water of the Girls' Dorm splash across his back.

"Cold." He cursed, immediately swatting the knobs to the red label in hopes that the water would warm quickly.

It turned out that being in the Blue Dorms had its perks after all.

Steam filled the bathroom in mere moments, and Konami showered in peace. It wasn't until he stepped outside and gazed through the window that he saw the cold gaze of a purple crow staring back at him.

Konami was no idiot. He knew the legends. He'd heard the stories of the majestic bird that guided the Emperor to the land that became Yamato.

Sun Crow. Spirit Bird.

"Yata-Garasu." Konami said, acknowledging the bird's similarity to the card on his desk.

The bird said nothing, continuing to stare back at Konami as if to ask, _"How long are you going to stand there?"_

Despite the silence, Konami got the picture. At the very least, it didn't seem as though the bird was planning on doing anything unusual anytime soon. Still, its striking similarity to the Duel Monster was unsettling… even more so than the fact that the bird had only a single leg, yet another characteristic it shared with the monster card.

"Just what in the world are you…?" Konami wondered aloud, continuing to stare at the bird until it finally turned and flew away.

Strange. Was Duel Academy filled with strange animals as well? Konami didn't think he had seen anything the day before, but he realized that the rain had made it hard to see much of anything to begin with.

Putting thoughts of Duel Academy's unusual events to the back of his mind, Konami quickly realized that he'd spent far too much time standing before an open window unclothed. Blushing, he quickly swung the blinds shut before anyone could see, and made his way to the closet located beside his bed.

It was time to see what the Uniform looked like.

Taking a deep breath, Konami swung the closet open, gaining his first look at the uniform he'd be wearing for the time being.

Much like the Egyptian God from whence it got its name, the Slifer Uniform was built with a sturdy red fabric, similar to the other dorm uniforms. Many of the cuffs and buttons too carried the color of the twin-mouthed God, save for a single band near the collar that was a clean, pristine white.

A similarly colored cap rest on the shelf above the uniform. It was an accessory provided to nearly all the students, though from what Konami could recall from the orientation video, few students, if any, actually wore it.

Well, his caretakers had told him to try and be unique…..

He grabbed the cap and slid it on eagerly, tilting the peek low so that it obscured his eyes. He could still see fine, but he doubted anyone would think so.

He swiftly equipped the rest of the uniform (struggling upon realizing that he _shouldn't_ have put the cap on first), and turned to leave.

He stopped upon reaching the door, turning to give one last look at his room, or, more specifically, the Yata-Garasu card gleaming softly on the study desk.

"…"

No, Konami thought. He had had enough strange occurrences as it was. There was no way he was going to inadvertently allow even more to occur by doing what he was thinking.

His hand gripped the doorknob tightly, shaking nervously as an oppressive air weighed down on Konami's shoulders.

"…Oh, fine." he said finally, "But you better not do anything funny."

He grabbed the card, slid it into his holster with the rest of his Deck, and left for the lobby.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

**Learning to Duel**

**Arc One - Chapter Two**

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

As expected with it having been so early, the dorm was moderately quiet save for a few small conversations carried by other early risers like himself. Konami passed by them silently, pretending to pay them all no attention. Of course, the truth could not have been more different.

Konami knew full well that he was likely to be the talk of the dorm for the next few days. After all, it wasn't every day that a _boy_ was given a room in the _Girls'_ Dorm. Certainly, there were times when a boy might visit, or sneak in, but never before in Duel Academy's history had one been given the go-ahead to move in.

"So that's the guy you were telling me about huh?" he heard a passing student whisper to another. "So he's really a Slifer…? What's he doing here, some kind of experiment?"

"Hardly. I heard he got in trouble after getting in a fight with his ship's Captain on the way over here. He wrecked the room they were going to put him in, so he has to stay here until it gets fixed."

"What?! Don't tell me he's some kind of delinquent? Why'd they stick him with us then? Let the other Slifer Slackers look after him!"

Konami paused his step. What was that they had just said? Got in a fight? Wrecked the room? But none of that was true at all! Had the school started spreading rumors around so quickly…? It had only been a single night…!

He turned around, heading toward the two girls intent on explaining what really happened.

"I wonder if he threatened Ms. Fontaine somehow…."

"Quiet!" the other girl hissed, nudging her friend in the side with her elbow. "He's looking at us!"

Indeed, during their conversation Konami had managed to catch up with the pair. He stood before them awkward, his face carrying a troubled expression, not that the girls could see it.

"W-Well…?" one of them asked cautiously, "W-What do you want?"

Konami shifted his feet nervously, his stance changing to guard himself closely. "Is that… really what people are saying?"

The two girls flinched.

"You don't mean you heard us?!"

"Erm… well… that is…"

They looked toward each other for support, before turning back to Konami nervously. He had them cornered, and no escape route was in sight. Mentally, they began to panic.

"It didn't happen like that." Konami said after a moment. "That Captain and I… we actually got along really well."

"H-Huh?" the girls asked in unison.

It was a lie. Konami really didn't feel one way or another for that man in particular, but as long as it helped him clear the air…

"…and we didn't get into any kind of fight." he continued. "There was a storm. The ship got caught up in it, and we lost a few days having to make repairs. By the time we arrived, the school already gave my room to another student, and that's why I'm here until my new room is complete."

His nodded, giving himself a pat on the back for a "job well done" before turning and leaving the two alone. As his form vanished around a corner, one of the girls let out a sigh of relief, while the other rose her hand to her heart in shock.

"I-I thought we were gonna die." One admitted, the other nodding along with her in agreement.

"But a storm huh? It has been raining pretty hard the past few days…. So much for your delinquent theory." The other girl said, having calmed without the boy there to rile her.

"I-It wasn't mine! That's what I heard I swear!"

The conversation degraded into gentle teasing and banter, and around the corner Konami nodded, a small smile coming over his face. It didn't look like he'd have to worry about that rumor anymore.

"Hey." A girl's voice suddenly called out from beside him. "What are you doing?"

Konami flinched, turning to the side to face the direction the voice was coming from. One of the girls from last night stood beside him, her arms folded curiously as she gazed upon him with a raised brow.

"You are… Alexis."

"Uh… yeah, that's right." Alexis said, lowering her arms to her sides. "You're already up? I was just about to go get you. Mindy and Jasmine were just _dying_ to show you around. They're already waiting in the lobby." She sighed quietly, as if the entire thing was a bother. "Sorry about them. They can be a little… eccentric at times."

"It's not a problem." Konami said, lowering his own guard once he was sure Alexis hadn't seen what he was doing. "It's fine to have a few lively friends, right?"

He started walking upon finishing his statement, making sure to keep a slow pace so that Alexis could keep up.

"Well, you could put it that way." Alexis agreed. "Still, it can be a bit much once they start making problems for other people as well."

"It's a good thing this isn't a problem then." Konami repeated. "I needed to learn the layout anyway, so…."

The two settled into an awkward silence, neither knowing what to talk to the other about.

"...So… I got my uniform." Konami tried after a moment, trying to start a conversation.

"Oh! Yeah… you did." Alexis noticed with a wry smile. "Now you'll fit right in with the Slifer… Red… students."

She paused for a moment, leaving Konami to wonder if something was wrong.

"Sorry." Alexis said before he could ask anything. "I just had a thought. You're going to be moving into the Slifer Red Dorm soon right? Do you think you could maybe keep an eye on someone there for me?"

"Huh?" Konami blinked. "Keep an eye on someone?"

"I realize it's a strange request, especially coming from someone you don't know. You don't have to do it if you don't want to." Alexis said, giving the boy an out if he so chose. "His name is Jaden Yuki. He's a first-year student, like you, in the Slifer Red Dorm. He beat Dr. Crowler on his Entrance Exam… and unofficially, an Elite Obelisk Blue student as well."

"Jaden Yuki…." Konami let the words pass over his lips, recalling Alexis mentioning the name Yuki the night before as well. "I see. So you think you might be interested in him?"

"What?" Alexis's eyes widened in surprise at the words, before she glanced toward the wall in disappointment. "Really… it's not like that at all. I'm just doing it as a favor for Zane."

Zane. Another name she'd said the night before. Konami was just about to ask who this mysterious "Zane" character was, but the prompt arrival of Mindy and Jasmine delayed that discussion.

"There you two are! We've been looking all over for you!" Mindy said, being the first to greet the two. "We've still got some time before classes, so I've put together a complete schedule of how to handle the "Academy Tour of Loooooooove!""

"Mindy… again with the ridiculous names?" Alexis asked in exasperation, not at all amused by the term Mindy used to describe their duty.

"Oh, you're just no fun Alexis!" Mindy chirped happily, "You'll have to learn to lighten up sometime! And as for you!" she turned on Konami in an instant, taking in his appearance up and down. "Well, the color may not be the best, but at least you know how to clean up nicely!"

Jasmine frowned, having also seen the color of Konami's uniform.

"So it's true huh?" she asked, "The rumors that the Transfer Student was a Slifer Slacker…."

"Jasmine…" Alexis chided, "Now's really not the time."

"What's the matter? Is there something wrong with being in Slifer Red?" Konami asked.

Jasmine flinched, quickly averting her eyes from the boy.

"Well, not in particular…" she frowned, "It's just that from what I've seen, Slifer Red students are nothing but a bunch of rowdy, no-good troublemakers! It certainly doesn't help that they all like to slack off whenever possible either! That's how they got the name Slifer Slackers to begin with you know!"

"You're pretty passionate about this." Konami noted.

"Well of course I am!" Jasmine said, "As a member of Obelisk Blue, it's my job to put those guys in their place!"

"But… since you're a female member, doesn't that mean you were automatically accepted into Obelisk Blue, despite not necessarily having the skills necessary for it?" Konami questioned.

"W-What?!" Jasmine flinched, stamping her foot angrily, "Why you-!"

"He has a point." Alexis commented, "I don't remember there ever being a Slifer Red or Ra Yellow Girls' Dorm. That'd also explain why Obelisk Blue has so many more students compared to the other two."

"H-Huh?! Alexis... you too?!" Jasmine exclaimed. "Why do I get the feeling I just made a fool out of myself….?"

"Don't worry about it. You're free to have your own opinion." Konami said. "I was just pointing it out."

"…." Jasmine glanced at him for a moment before nodding. "….Right. I'll do that then."

"….Uhm, excuse me, but are you all done?" Mindy asked, having moved to the end of the hallway while they were caught up in their discussion, "I really want to get this tour on the way!"

Alexis, Jasmine, and Konami all sweatdropped at Mindy's carefree expression before joining her on the way out. It certainly seemed like the tour would be one to remember.

**-GX-**

**The girls took their time showing Konami around campus…**

**-GX-**

"…and this is the Classroom Building, which concludes our "Academy Tour of Loooooooove!" Mindy said happily, turning around to face the group with a small twirl. "So, Konami, what did you think? Were there any places you liked more than others?"

"My legs…." the boy despaired, on all fours after what had seemed like hours of running, "I can't feel my legs…."

"I don't think I've ever walked that much in my entire life….." Jasmine agreed, also on all fours.

Alexis frowned, not quite on all fours but evidently tired as well. She turned to face Mindy with a worried expression.

"If we ever get wrapped up into doing this again, _I'll_ choose how to handle the tour. You must have taken us across campus nine or ten times."

Mindy blinked in confusion, before understanding what must have gone wrong.

"Oh no! You mean to say everyone's worn out from my tour?" she asked, earning an affronted look from everyone present.

"Mindy…" Jasmine said, steadily climbing back to her feet, "At this point, I think saying "worn out" is an understatement.

"Is that the first tour you've given?" Konami asked, earning a nod from the three. "….Good. Let's make this the _only_ tour you ever gave."

"Huh?!" Mindy asked, "It was really that bad?"

"Yeah… yeah it was." Mindy said, "But… at least you tackled everything right?"

"Hmmm….." Mindy folded her arms as if in deep thought. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. I guess in that case it wasn't a complete failure!"

The bell signaling five minutes to classes suddenly began to ring, prompting the quartet to drop the conversation they'd been having. Konami slowly rose to his feet, dusting off the dirt now covering his knees as Alexis and the others approached him.

"Are you going to be able to make it to class alright? These two and I need to check in with Ms. Fontaine before heading in ourselves, so you'll be on your own."

"That's fine. It's Dr. Crowler's class right?" Konami asked, earning a nod from the girl.

"Right. It's on the first floor. Just follow the other first-years," Alexis gestured to the mass of students walking around them, "and you'll get there just fine."

"Alright, thanks."

"Alexis!" Mindy called, standing at the entrance to the building alongside Jasmine. "Come on! I just saw this cute Obelisk and there's no way we'll catch up to him _and_ make it to class on time if we don't hurry!"

Alexis sighed, not quite understanding how Mindy could still be so energetic. "Well then, I should get going."

"Yeah." Konami agreed, "Oh, and I thought I'd let you know, I'll be sure to keep my eyes open. You know, for that Slifer you're interested in. What was his name again…? Jaden… Yuki, right?"

"Yeah, that's it." Alexis said, smiling as she watched two students in particular pass by. _"Keep your eye open huh…?"_ she thought, repeating Konami's words as she made her way inside.

She glanced back once, watching as Konami quickly made his way down the same hallway those two had.

"_Something tells me you won't have to look very hard."_

She turned and walked back to her friends, wondering just what would happen when the two officially met. It certainly didn't seem like she'd have to wait long to find out.

Konami walked down the hallway briskly, attempting to keep pace with the two Slifer Red students in front of him. It was mind-numbing how often they changed hallways, and after following them for a while Konami was certain that they must have gone in a circle at least three times. Was it his fault? Did they somehow pick up on the fact he was following them and decide to throw him off…? Konami felt his heart rate increase at the thought.

"Admit it Jay, we're lost." The small, blue-haired Slifer said sadly.

"What?! Really?! Oh man, Crowler's gonna be upset that we wound up late… again." The taller boy, with hair that looked remarkably like a Kuriboh, laughed.

"Ngh, this wouldn't have happened if you would've woken up on time!"

"Hey, I can't help it! When I dream about Dueling I just have to see it through to the end! That Flame Wingman combo I pulled off was really something though huh?"

"Jaden…." The smaller boy sighed. "You just said it was a dream….."

"Huh? Oh, you're right!" Jaden laughed, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "But I guess that doesn't really help us find Crowler's class does it, eh Syrus?"

Syrus, Konami noted, frowned. "How in the world are we gonna explain it away this time…? It'd be a different story if it was only a few days in… but we've been here a month!"

"Ah don't worry! I'm sure we'll figure a way outta this somehow! And if push comes to shove, we'll just have to Duel em' to get off easy!"

"I wish it were that simple…." Syrus mumbled.

Jaden and Syrus, Konami noted, briefly wondering if the Jaden before him was in fact the same one Alexis had told him about. He shook his head, saving the question for later. Were those two lost as well…? At any rate, it seemed as though they were also looking for Dr. Crowler's class….

He stepped forward, his decision made.

"Hey." he greeted, earning a surprised look from Jaden and a flinch from Syrus.

"H-Huh? Who're you? Where'd you come from?!" Syrus exclaimed.

"Oh relax Syrus," Jaden laughed, "it's just another Slifer like us! Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to get to Crowler's class from here would you?"

Konami shook his head. "No. I was going to ask you."

"What? Really?!" Jaden blinked in surprise. "I guess we're all in the same boat here then huh?"

The bell signaling the start of classes suddenly boomed overhead. It was now confirmed: The three of them were late.

"Oh man, we're really in for it now!" Syrus complained.

"Q-Quick! Choose a room, any room!" Jaden panicked.

The three of them fumbled around, each running back and forth between different classrooms. During it all, Konami despaired. Was this how his first official day at Duel Academy was going to be…?

"SLACKERS!" a familiar voice roared out angrily through the hallway.

"Whoa! Dr. Crowler?!" Jaden shouted, reeling back at the sound of the teacher's voice.

"Uh oh… that's not good." Syrus mumbled quietly.

"I had thought there might be something amiss when our new Transfer Student didn't arrive on time! I should have known I'd find him straggling about with you!" Dr. Crowler shouted.

"Huh? Transfer Student? Hey Syrus, what's he talking about?" Jaden whispered quietly.

"I dunno. Then again… I haven't seen him around recently…." Syrus said, gesturing to Konami subtly.

Shrugging, Konami swiftly explained that he had only arrived the night before.

"What? Really? Heh, I guess that explains it!" Jaden grinned. "I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around the dorm at all!"

Professor Crowler suddenly moved forward briskly, turning his attention away from Jaden and Syrus to stare Konami down worriedly. To Jaden and Syrus it was a surprising expression to see grace the man's face, but to Konami it wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, while it was clear Crowler held some distaste for the Slifer Red Dorm, in the man's eyes Konami shouldn't have been anything more than an unfortunate Ra Yellow Student who caught up with a bad bit of luck.

"Mr. Kodo, you're fine aren't you?" Crowler asked, "These two Slackers didn't do anything strange?"

"Not really." Konami answered, wondering what it was that Dr. Crowler meant by strange.

"I see. I should have known better than to leave you alone with Ms. Fontaine. Of course she wouldn't have taken the time to show you around the Campus!" the man wailed. "Still, perhaps there's some good to be found in this travesty of justice after all! Finally, I've caught Jaden Yuki red-handed! There's no way he'll be able to explain his way out of things this time! I'll have him kicked out for this!"

"What?! You can do that?!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Uh oh… looks like we're in trouble Jay!" Syrus added.

Konami frowned. Crowler didn't know that Ms. Fontaine had assigned Alexis and her friends to do the job…? And more importantly… this Jaden _was _the same Jaden who Alexis had spoken of? He was in Slifer Red too… one of the people he'd be expected to associate with daily. The current situation provided both the means to get to class safely, _and_ be seen in a good light by two of his future dorm-mates.

Deep in his mind, an idea was born.

"Excuse me… _Doctor_ Crowler?" Konami asked, making sure to use the title Crowler preferred. "If you have to punish them, it's only right that you punish me as well."

"H-Huh?" Crowler asked, reeling back in surprise. "Punish you? Why would I do that?"

"Well you see. The only reason they were out here was because I had gotten lost. They'd met me earlier, and knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to find your room by myself, they wound up looking for me."

Crowler flinched. "What?! Is this true?!" he glanced toward Syrus and Jaden in hopes that one of them might slip up.

"Uh… yeah, sounds about right to me!" Jaden said.

"Yep!" Syrus said, far more legitimately than Jaden.

"Ngh…!" Crowler frowned, averting his eyes to the floor in disappointment.

He looked like a child who'd lost out on getting a piece of candy.

"…and I suppose that's the same story you'd have if I brought this to the Chancellor?" Crowler asked hopefully.

"Of course. Why would it be any different?" Konami asked, playing the ignorance card.

"Hmf!" Crowler folded his arms. "Very well. I suppose I'll have to overlook their tardiness just this once. But be warned Jaden! Next time you won't have the excuse of helping out a Transfer Student to fall back on!"

"H-Huh?! Why me…?" Jaden asked.

"As if you don't know!" Crowler swiftly turned on his heel, his jacket again billowing as he stalked off toward the class.

"Oh man… talk about a close call! You know what, you're not half bad Transfer Student!" Jaden grinned, granting Konami one of his signature victory poses.

"Yeah, we would've been toast if it wasn't for you!" Syrus agreed. "Still, it's pretty strange to see Crowler worry about a Slifer. Just who are you?"

"That'll have to wait." Jaden said, "We better hurry after Crowler if we don't wanna wind up getting lost again!"

Konami and Syrus nodded in agreement, before chasing after the man quickly.

"Alright, alright!" Crowler declared, swooping into his class and silencing the room, "That's enough chitchat! It's high time we got back to work!"

"Hmph. Well Professor, did you find those Slifer Slackers?" a spiky-haired boy in blue asked from the back of the class.

"As a matter of fact I did Mr. Princeton, now, feet off the desk." Crowler said with a sickeningly sweet smile on his face.

"Y-Yes, sir." The boy obeyed.

"And as for you two…!" he grabbed Jaden and Syrus by the collars, dragging them inside and sitting them down in front of him. "You both get a front row seat to my lecture today!"

"Huh? But that's not fair!" Syrus complained.

"Fair Shmare! If you wanted a seat in the back then you should have gotten here faster!" Crowler crooned.

Jaden and Syrus both glanced toward each other worriedly, before slumping their backs in defeat.

"Now then class, before we get back to work, I have one more announcement for you all. As the female students here may already know, we have a new student joining us today!"

The girls all exchanged knowing or annoyed glances, leaving the boys to do the muffled whispering... for once.

"A new student…?"

"The girls already know? Does that mean it's a chick?"

"Haaa! I hope she's hot."

"_If _it's a chick at all."

"Now, now," Crowler said, "I know what you're all thinking, and no, it's not a girl."

The boys all groaned at the news. So there wasn't going to be any new eye candy for them after all.

"Come on in." Crowler said, giving Konami a nod of the head to show it was time.

Steeling his nerves, Konami entered the room quietly. Stopping just beside the Professor, he turned to face everyone, scanning the room to gauge their reactions.

"A Slifer huh…? Figures."

"Like we care about some Slifer Slacker… get him out of here!"

"Now students, that's no way to treat our new guest!" Crowler continued. "In fact, he's not really a Slifer at all! You see, Mr. Kodo here got caught up in the boat accident a month back. As a result, his Ra Yellow Status was put on hold until we could acquire a new room for him."

The man paused, turning to stare down another student in the room.

"He was originally supposed to have been in your room, Bastion."

"My room? You mean the one I traded up for after that disastrous experiment?" the boy asked. "Hmm…. That _is_ unfortunate."

Konami turned to look at the surprised boy quietly. So he was the one who'd received his room.

Neatly arranged black hair… a smooth, analytical face… Konami was certain…

He could take him!

"Well Mr. Kodo?" Crowler asked, snapping the boy from his thoughts. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

"Ah… Right. My name is Konami Kodo." Konami said, stepping forward to gaze upon the class. As per the custom, he bowed. "Please take care of me."

He raised his head after a moment, and turned back to Crowler.

"Yes, yes, very good. Now then, why don't you go ahead and take a seat behind Bastion there?" Crowler suggested, "Then I can get back to what really matters: Basics in Dueling!"

The class groaned at the words, and as he marched the steps toward his new seat, Konami knew he was in for a long day.

**-GX-**

**Konami sat through Crowler's class, receiving information both he, and everyone else in the room had already known….**

**-GX-**

"Finally, it's over." Jaden sighed in relief the second Crowler had left the room. "I thought I'd never hear the end of it."

"Basics of Dueling…" Syrus quoted, "That's the same stuff we covered the first day of class! Did he do it because Konami was here…?"

"Heh, so Crowler has a heart after all huh?" Jaden asked, "Still, seems to me like Konami was just as bored as the rest of us. Isn't that right pal?"

He glanced down from where he was currently standing, toward the boy who was looking back up at them just as curiously.

"Oh, don't worry. It's not like we blame you for this or anything. It's just… I really wish I could've sat in the back. At least then I could've gotten away with catching a few Z's!" Jaden joked.

"Well, at least Chumley got off easy. He didn't even show up today!" Syrus noted. "But it's not like Crowler ever takes attendance when _you're_ here Jaden. Maybe I should start skipping a few days when you're here too!"

"What?! Don't do that! Then I'll be all alone here!" Jaden complained. "Heh, you'll suffer through this with me, won't you Konami?"

"We'll see."

"Huh? What do you mean "We'll see?"! Don't tell me… you plan on skipping too?!" Jaden asked. "..But man, you really did us a solid back there. Who knows what would've happened if you weren't there to help out when you did. We owe you one!"

"It was no problem." Konami shrugged. "Crowler was getting on my nerves too."

"He has a way of doing that…." Syrus mumbled. "By the way, where room are you staying in? We didn't hear anything about a Transfer Student from Professor Banner, did we Jay?"

"Nah, but it's always possible we might've missed it!" Jaden grinned. "So, mind telling us? What room are you in? We might come and pay you a visit later."

"Hmph, that's what I'd like to know." Another voice suddenly entered the conversation.

Konami recognized it as that belonging to the Princeton character Crowler had spoken to prior to class.

"Rumor on the grapevine is you came to the class with Alexis Rhodes. Though what business she has with a Slacker like you is beyond me." he said. "So, is the rumor true? You come here with Alexis?"

Against his better judgment, Konami nodded. "That's right. She showed me around… somewhat."

"Whoa!" Syrus spoke in awe, his eyes glistening in amazement. "You came here with the Queen of Obelisk Blue? What in the world were you doing with her?"

"With live in the same dorm."

The remaining boys in the room all snapped their heads toward him at that.

"W-What did you just say, slacker?" Princeton choked, his elitist mentality momentarily paralyzed.

"We live in the same dorm. Didn't Crowler explain it earlier?" Konami wondered.

"What?! No!" Syrus shouted. "You mean _that's_ where you're staying until the room's fixed? The Girls' Dorm?! Man… just how lucky can you get…?"

"I'll say!" Jaden agreed. "There must be tons of great Duelists there, right?"

Everyone save a few face-palmed at Jaden's naivety.

"Y-You idiot! That's not what we're talking about here! Tch… but how'd a Slifer like you wind up there….?" Princeton grumbled. "Darn it! I won't allow this! Thinking of you… in that place… with Alexis…!"

"Whoa Chazz," Jaden said, watching the Obelisk Blue worriedly. "You feelin' alright? You look like you're about to burst!"

It was true. Chazz's face was flushed as red as a tomato, and Konami could've sworn that steam would start bursting out of his ears at any moment.

"S-Shut up you Slifer Slackers! Maybe I'll wreck _my_ room, and then I'll get to stay in the Girls' Dorm too!"

He fled the room hurriedly, leaving everyone confused as to what his sudden outburst was for.

"Hey." Jaden said suddenly, turning to Syrus. "Think he's still upset about our Midnight Match the other week?"

"Oh Jaden…." Syrus sighed, "What are we going to do with you?"

"Hmph… fleeing the room like that. Surely he does not expect that his plan will actually work?" yet another voice spoke up, prompting Konami to glance at the person below him.

Bastion Misawa.

"There's no reason they wouldn't simply make him clean up the mess he made." Bastion declared, making to stand. "Be that as it may, I do feel the need to apologize. It seems that it is partly my fault you are in this predicament in the first place. I fear that my first room suffered an accidental… explosion of sorts during one of my head teacher, Satyr's curry demonstrations. The damage was so horrific that I fear it won't be of use to anyone in the years to come."

"…and so they gave you my room instead." Konami affirmed.

"That is correct. Once more, I do apologize. However, the fact they chose to relegate you into Slifer must mean you haven't yet done anything to earn your keep here. If you don't mind me asking, what score did you make on your Entrance Exam? Perhaps as part of my condolences I can offer tutoring in an area in which you lack strength?"

"I didn't take an Entrance Exam." Konami explained, "I made it in on a…. "Scholarship", of sorts."

There was no point in telling anyone about his "mysterious benefactor" after all.

"A scholarship? Here?" Bastion frowned. "Well, that certainly explains things doesn't it? No wonder they relegated you to Slifer… you simply must not have what it takes to be here under your own strength."

"Whoa…! Bastion, that's pretty harsh man!" Jaden said in surprise.

"Am I wrong? Those who rely on riches and connections… I'll show them the power of those who work for their success." Bastion tipped his head slightly to the Slifers. "Excuse me, I have more important things to do."

He swept past them, and left the classroom.

"…What's with him?" Konami asked after a moment of silence.

"Who knows?" Syrus shrugged. "He's always been a mystery, that one."

"Sorry but, are you just gonna let him go like that?" Jaden wondered, "I mean… he said you don't belong here and everything. Something about that doesn't sit right with me."

"It doesn't bother me." Konami shrugged. "Besides, he's gone now."

"So you're just gonna let him walk all over you like that?" Jaden winced. "Man, you must have some pretty high self-esteem. I don't think I could've handled that as easily as you did."

"…." Konami glanced down at himself. Was he supposed to have gotten upset or something…?

"Aw man Jaden! Look what you did!" Syrus frowned, "Now he's feeling all beat up about it!"

"H-Huh? How's that my fault?!" Jaden asked in shock, "Bastion's the one who said all that stuff!"

"You didn't have to complain about it like that though!"

Konami glanced back up at the two before they could go any further. "Hey, so what should I do then?"

The sudden question stopped their argument. Quickly, Jaden turned back to Konami, a large grin growing on his face.

"Heh, if it was me, I'd just go Duel him and settle things on the Field!"

Konami glanced back down at himself.

A Duel huh…? It was true he hadn't been in one since his arrival on the island….

He stood up.

"W-Whoa!" Syrus reeled back, surprised at the sudden motion. "H-Hey! Where are you going?"

Konami glanced back at Syrus curiously. "Where else? To Duel him."

"Heh, gonna get your game on huh?" Jaden asked, "Now that's something I can get behind! Count me in!"

"But… you don't know the way to the Ra Dorms do you? I mean, you said yourself that you didn't know your way around…."

A lie. Alexis, no, Mindy had dragged him around the island multiple times. As long as he didn't go inside any buildings, Konami was confident he could find his way around.

"Well then, it's settled." Jaden grinned, "Let's go throw down some face downs!"

The two of them left the class quickly, leaving a reeling Syrus behind.

And unbeknownst to them all... a one-legged Crow led the way.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**END**


	3. Flame X Shame

The Ra Yellow Dorm.

Located on the outskirts of Duel Academy, it stood gazing out over several large cliffs, reminding its students of what they could achieve if they studied hard and earned good grades. The building's design itself was rather modest, carrying the look of a rather ordinary dorm room, unlike the extravagant exterior Konami had viewed upon his arrival at Obelisk Blue. Much like its namesake, the Ra Yellow dorm carried grand, yellow walls. Its only difference with the mighty god card was the presence of a murky green roof, but such things weren't doted on by the dorm's few students.

Konami stood before the dorm quietly, Jaden and Syrus trailing behind him by several feet.

"Hey, are you really thinking about doing this?" Syrus asked. "Just because Jaden said something about it doesn't mean you have to go all gung-ho you know?"

"Oh come on, stop worrying Syrus!" Jaden grinned. "It's just a Duel after all! Besides, I've been pretty interested in seeing what kind of cards Bastion plays as well!"

Konami glanced back at the pair, staring at Jaden curiously. "I get it. So you're just using me to get a peek at his cards yourself."

"W-What?!" Jaden gawked, "H-Hey! Come on now, it's not like that! I'd be more than happy to duel him in your place if you're up for it!"

"No. I'll be the one dueling him. Otherwise there's no point." Konami said quietly.

"Heh, you hear that Syrus?" Jaden grinned, "Sounds like his mind's all made up."

"I dunno… I still have a bad feeling about this. Are you sure it's alright for us to be here…?"

"Well classes only just let out, so we shouldn't have that problem with security we did during the Duel with Chazz!" Jaden said. "Besides, it's not like Bastion's the kind of guy to turn down a Duel right?"

"Well… I guess…"

Syrus glanced back down again, still feeling unsure about the situation. It was obvious to Konami that of the pair, Syrus was the worrywart. Before the boy had time to raise anymore concerns, Konami turned around and briskly entered the dorms. He wanted to get the Duel underway before his own confidence gave out.

"W-Whoa! Slow down Konami!"

"Wait up!"

Jaden and Syrus quickly gave chase, following him inside.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

**Learning to Duel**

**Arc One – Chapter Three**

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

As expected, the interior of Ra Yellow's dorm was just as mediocre as the rest of the building. Each hall was lined with numerous doors, no doubt leading in to the rooms of each individual student. Unfortunately, there were no nametags or students present. No way to find out which room Bastion Misawa was staying in…

The same room, Konami noted, that he too would have been occupying.

"Man… and here I thought the Slifer Red Dorms were empty!" Jaden said. "Everyone must still be hanging around the classes! Did we come here for nothing…?"

Syrus sighed eagerly at Jaden's words. "Well, if no one's here that means we can leave now right?"

"What? No way! Who knows, Bastion still might be here!" Jaden exclaimed, "There's no point in leaving when the job's half done, right Konami?!"

Konami nodded in agreement, glancing around the lobby for any sign of a student list or device that could point them in the right direction. It took him several seconds to recognize a small computer seated behind the counter. Something to be used by the absent receptionists perhaps…?

He approached the lobby desk silently.

"Huh? What are you doing? See something that might help?" Jaden asked.

"Maybe. I don't know yet."

Konami stopped at the counter, glancing around the room for any sign of a proper entrance. It seemed as though the only way to get in by walking was through use of the employee's only section around the corner, but Konami was certain the door would be locked.

He sighed. Nothing to be done for it then.

He set his hand on the lobby counter gently, before silently climbing over haphazardly onto the other side. Syrus gawked at the scene.

"H-Hey! I don't think you're supposed to go back there!"

"Aw, relax! There's no one here Syrus, learn to lighten up a bit!" Jaden grinned, before copying Konami's maneuver and joining him on the other side. "Now then, what're you up to?"

Konami strolled over to the computer, clicking the mouse about randomly until a number of strange pages emerged.

"Ah… I get it. The Student Registry? Planning on looking Bastion up properly or something?"

"That's the plan." Konami said, continuing to click on several screens. "But…"

He exited out of several pages, before looking through several more.

"I'm not really sure what I'm doing…"

Jaden and Konami both stared at the random numbers coming across the computer worriedly.

"Uh… is this supposed to do that?"

"…"

The computer screen turned blue, and a strange noise suddenly began emitting from the speakers.

"H-Hey… what are you guys doing over there?" Syrus asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah! Everything's fine Syrus! Just give us a minute back here would ya?" Jaden exclaimed.

A spark suddenly leapt out from the keyboard, prompting the pair to leap back from the computer in shock.

"Whoa! That's not good! Are they gonna make us pay for that?"

"Pay for what?" Syrus asked suddenly, having crawled in the same way Jaden and Konami had. "Oh man! What did you guys do to it?!"

"It wasn't our fault!" Jaden protested, "It was like this when we got here, right Konami?"

"…yes." Konami decided.

"Yeah right." Syrus frowned, "Oh, but that's not the problem here! I heard some footsteps earlier you know! I think someone's coming!"

That wasn't good. What if it was a member of the staff? The three of them would get in trouble for being inside.

Konami exchanged a worried glance with Jaden, before quickly moving to leave the room. Of course, the exit they chose was locked.

"Well, that's not good." Konami noted.

"Can't we go out the same way we came in?" Jaden suggested, turning back to the small opening they'd initially crawled through.

It was unfortunate that they were too slow.

"What's that racket? Is someone in here?" a man's voice called out, and the lock on the door turned green.

The door swung open, and Konami, Syrus and Jaden found themselves staring into the face of Bastion Misawa.

If anything, it was evident that he was just as surprised as they were.

"It's you!" he whispered quickly, "But what are you doing in here?"

Jaden and Konami glanced at each other once more. Could he be trusted…? Another spark from the computer behind them gave their intention away.

"What's that…? Oh no! My brand new processor!" Bastion exclaimed, racing past the pair toward the computer.

"Uh… what do you mean processor?" Jaden asked slowly, "Isn't that thing a computer for the school registry?"

Bastion was far too frantic to answer Jaden's question. Quickly, he turned the machine on its side, tearing its cover open and checking the overheating parts rapidly.

"Oh! Thank god, it was only a loose cable…" Bastion sighed softly, sitting down to work once more.

Jaden, Syrus, and Konami exchanged yet another look. At any rate, it didn't seem like Bastion was planning on listening to them anytime soon…

The three of them didn't know how long they sat in silence as Bastion worked on his computer quietly, hearing nothing but the small whirls and occasional grinding noises of multiple tools… Jaden had tried grabbing the boy's attention several times, but nothing seemed to quite do the trick. It was as if Bastion was off in his own little world, ignorant to anything and everything until the job was complete…

"…and that's that." Bastion said finally, after what had to have been at least an hour of work.

He turned around, only to find the bored, tired, and worn faces of Jaden, Konami and Syrus behind him.

"What? You three are still here? Actually, that raises a good question. What were you doing here in the first place? This section is off-limits to students you know."

"Says you!" Syrus piped up suddenly, angered at having wasted so much time doing nothing. "Besides, aren't you a student here too?"

"Well, that is true. But the teachers don't return until at least seven o'clock. I still have plenty of time to make use of this area."

"Heh, so when it gets right down to it you're a troublemaker too huh?" Jaden grinned.

"What the-? I am no troublemaker!" Bastion exclaimed, "I merely require a state of peace and quiet to achieve the mindset necessary to reach my goals. You don't make straight A's through mindless blubbering and guesswork after all!"

"Sheesh, sorry. I didn't know you'd be so uptight about it!" Jaden winced. "But I guess that personality of yours _is_ why we're here in the first place, right Konami?"

Konami nodded once at the words, rising from his position on the floor to stare down Bastion solemnly.

"That's right. I don't like what you said earlier. Take it back."

"What I said…?" Bastion asked curiously, squinting his eyes in thought. "Oh. You mean my comment about you lacking strength?"

"That's right!" Jaden grinned, "Konami here wants to prove that he has what it takes to be here after all!"

"I see. And did you come to this decision by yourself or did you let others make it for you?" Bastion asked suspiciously.

The silence from Konami seemed to give him his answer.

"Hm, I see. Well, I suppose it's fine either way." Bastion said after a moment, rising from his chair. "I could use a Duel right about now. I have a new strategy I've been meaning to test."

"Sweet! That means that it's game on, right?" Jaden asked, "Got a Duel Field to use, or are you two gonna throw down Street-style?"

"Worry not. The Ra Dorm has a Duel Field for official use we can use right now. It's not evening yet, so we shouldn't get in any trouble in the event we get caught. Well," he glanced toward Jaden, "so long as it isn't _Crowler_ who catches us that is."

"Heh… that guy again huh?" Jaden had the decency to look abashed.

Turning back to Konami, Bastion's eyes gleamed with something that wasn't there before. "Are you sure you want to challenge me? I won't hold back you know, even for a Slifer Student like yourself."

"Of course I do." Konami said. "I already decided… I can take you."

Bastion laughed. "Well alright then. Let's get to it."

He stepped toward the doorway, allowing the three Slifer students to pass through before following them outside. From there, it was a short trip to the Duel Field to which they'd be using.

"So this the Ra Yellow Duel Field huh? Not bad." Jaden grinned, giving the area a passing grade.

"Yeah, this is a lot better of what we have in our dorms!" Syrus complained.

"Yet it doesn't hold a candle to what I hear the Obelisk Blues have in their dorm." Bastion retorted, turning to Konami. "Tell me, is it true they have five-course meals every night?"

"I wouldn't know." Konami replied, "I didn't eat when I showed up last night."

"Whoa, really?!" Jaden asked in surprise, "Man… I would be starving right now if I were you!"

Konami shrugged. The state of his stomach didn't have anything to do with the battle at hand. He reached into his holster, grabbing the Deck he'd brought with him to the school.

"So, are we going to do this?" he asked slowly, gazing at Bastion confidently.

"Hm, indeed. As I said I've been meaning to try out a new strategy… and you're the perfect person to try it out on!" Bastion exclaimed, ripping his Ra Yellow Jacket open proudly.

A set of six different Decks suddenly came into view, each strapped on in a body armor-shaped holster that wrapped around Bastion's chest. Jaden and Syrus both reeled back at the surprise revelation.

"Whoa! That's a lot of Decks there Bastion!" Jaden said, "You couldn't just pick one and stick with it?!"

"Hmf, of course not. My style revolves around analyzing and targeting my opponent's weak points. For that matter, I have devised six different Decks, one for each Attribute. Who knows, maybe you'll have the honor of going up against one someday."

"Heh, yeah! We should definitely throw down sometime!" Jaden said, "But right now, it's Konami's turn!"

"That's right." Konami said, "You should keep your eyes on me."

Bastion smiled once more, before grabbing one of his Decks and holding it forward. "Very well. I've decided. You'll be facing my FIRE Deck."

"That's fine by me." Konami replied.

The two stepped toward each other, trading their Decks and shuffling them honorably. Both were confident in their own strategies. There was no need to cheat.

Returning the Decks to their original owners, the two Duelists stepped away from one another, with Bastion sliding his Deck into his Duel Disk.

It wasn't until doing so that he realized Konami had no such luxury.

"What's the matter? Where's your Duel Disk?" Bastion asked suddenly, gazing at Konami's bare arms.

"…?"

"Oh, right!" Jaden winced suddenly. "Being a new student and all you probably weren't issued one yet huh? Hey Syrus, how about you lend the guy a hand?"

"Huh? Why mine…? I think if anyone should lend a Duel Disk it should be _you_, Jaden!" Syrus countered. "You're the one who wanted him to Duel Bastion anyway!"

"H-Huh?! But I need mine to Duel with!" Jaden complained.

"Jaden, you're not going to be in a Duel with anyone! At least not while we're here watching Konami's!" Syrus explained.

"Oh… yeah, you're right!" Jaden laughed sheepishly. "Man, I don't know what I was thinking!"

He quickly pulled off his Duel Disk, before grabbing it with one hand and swinging it toward Konami.

"Here ya go pal, catch!"

The machine spun through the air rapidly, like a discus. In its current state, Konami wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to catch it. Regardless, he raised his hand to try.

A claw suddenly flew down and changed the Duel Disk's trajectory. As it was now, he'd have no problem grabbing it.

That being said…

"Whoa!"

"Hey now, don't drop it!"

The device fumbled about in Konami's hands several times, before coming to a rest safely in his grip.

"Whew…" Jaden sighed. "For a moment there I thought you'd break it!"

"Tossing about a Duel Disk as if it were a mere child's toy…!" Bastion winced, "So these are Slifer Reds…!"

"Alright." Konami said, sliding the Duel Disk on his arm and sliding his Deck inside. "Let's do it."

**-DUEL-**

**Konami Kodo – 4000 LP**

**VS**

**Bastion Misawa – 4000 LP**

**-DUEL-**

"Very well." Bastion said, folding his arms patiently after activating his own Duel Disk. "As the challenger, I'll give you the right of first draw. That being said… there's no need for me to show off. Using my new strategy… I'll beat you in a just few turns!"

"Just a few turns huh…?" Konami said, glancing at his opening hand. "Understood. Draw!"

He quickly grabbed a sixth card from his Deck, glancing at it purposefully before staring at the Field.

**TURN ONE – KONAMI**

"I'll start things off slow with this, the Divine Dragon Ragnarok!" Konami exclaimed, throwing the Normal Monster card down upon the Duel Disk.

The Field roared with power as the monster's hologram was given form, a pink serpentine-looking dragon materializing in a flash of golden light. Lightning crackled around the beast powerfully as it stared out over the Field for the first time before releasing a powerful, anger-driven roar.

Divine Dragon Ragnarok – (Light/Dragon) – LV4 – (1500/1000)

"I can't attack on the first turn," Konami noted, "so I'll set a card face-down and End my move."

"Hmph, how ordinary." Bastion said. "Very well. It's my turn then, I'll show you the power of my strategies! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – BASTION**

"You have your dragon on the Field…" he said, "So I suppose it's only right I summon mine as well! I summon Solar Flare Dragon in Attack Position!"

A pillar of flames suddenly leapt out from across Bastion's side of the Field, an ear-splitting cry engulfing the area as another serpentine-like beast arose from the ground. Its body was littering in flames, and a pair of shining horns revealed its desire to torch all in its path.

Solar Flare Dragon – (Fire/Pyro) – LV4 – (1500/1000)

"Our monsters… they have the same number of Attack Points." Konami said. "You realize that means yours can't attack without losing yours as well…?"

"That's what you think." Bastion said. "However, I have a few ways of getting around that fact! The first being this! The Spell Card Mage Power!"

He revealed the Spell in his hand, displaying a picture of several green-cloaked men praying to the abyss.

"Mage Power…?" Konami asked, "An Equip Spell… right?"

"That's correct." Bastion said, "Mage Power increases the Attack and Defense of the equipped monster by Five-Hundred Points for each Spell and Trap Card on my side of the Field! It's an easy strategy to make use of-"

"-which is why I won't allow it." Konami interrupted. "I'm activating a Trap Card, Dark Bribe! It'll negate the activation of your Mage Power, at the cost of allowing you to draw one more card!"

Bastion winced as the card in his hand was suddenly negated, a sharp wind suddenly forcing the Spell into his Graveyard Zone. Steadily, Bastion made to draw another card, scowling slightly at his strategy having been so easily worked around.

"Well… that's no problem. I still have plenty of other methods to use. Such as this, the Equip Spell Mist Body! Since our monsters currently have the same number of Attack Points, this will prevent my Solar Flare Dragon from being destroyed by battle!"

"Tch… how frustrating." Konami grimaced.

"And that's not all! I also have this!" Bastion roared, grabbing another Spell from his Hand, "Rush Recklessly! It'll increase the attack power of my monster by Seven-Hundred Points until the End Phase!"

With no Traps to counteract Bastion's latest card, Konami was forced to watch as an angry red light enveloped Solar Flare Dragon, empowering the beast further.

Solar Flare Dragon – (Fire/Pyro) – LV4 – (2200/1000)

"Now, attack!" Bastion roared, gesturing toward Konami's own Dragon.

The two monsters lashed out at one another, though it quickly became obvious who had the upper hand. With a loud roar, Solar Flare Dragon bit down upon the Divine Dragon's throat, defeating the beast entirely and inflicting damage upon Konami's Life Points.

"Gah…!" Konami winced upon feeling the remains of his creature shatter and break. He glanced toward the Life Point Counter on the Duel Disk quickly, watching the number steadily drop.

**Konami – 3300 LP**

**Bastion – 4000 LP**

"My monster… that's not good." Konami winced.

"…and if you think that was bad, wait until you see Solar Flare Dragon's effect!" Bastion exclaimed, "During the End Phase of my Turn, it inflicts Five-Hundred Points of damage on my opponent's Life Points, meaning that battle… was just a taste of what you'll be receiving! Go my Dragon, light him up with your Infernal Hell Flame!"

Solar Flare Dragon roared at the command, coiling its body inward before breathing a torrent of fire down upon Konami's body. The Slifer winced despite the creature being naught but a hologram, his imagination more than enough to make up for the lack of heat.

**Konami – 2800 LP**

**Bastion – 4000 LP**

"With that done, not only does the effect of my Rush Recklessly run out, returning my Solar Flare Dragon to Fifteen-Hundred Attack Points… but my Turn is over!" Bastion smiled smugly at that, folding his arms as he made to question Konami.

"So?" he asked. "What do you think of my Deck? It's only my first Turn and I've already brought you down to nearly half your Life Points! Still, I can't help but wonder what you'll do to try to get out of this!"

"Nothing much." Konami explained, making to grab the top card of his Deck. "Drawing should give me all I need."

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"First, that Mist Body equipped to your Solar Flare Dragon has to go." Konami said, reaching for a card in his Hand, "That being said, I have just the Spell to get rid of it… Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He revealed the card before slapping it down on the Duel Disk, prompting a blue swirl of energy to erupt above the Field striking out with various bolts of lightning on the ground below.

"This allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap on the Field, and since your Mist Body is the only viable target, it's going straight to the Graveyard!"

A piercing bolt from the typhoon suddenly crashed down on Bastion's side of the Field, prompting the Ra Yellow to shield his eyes as his Equip Spell was made worthless.

"Gah! You'll pay for that!" Bastion winced.

"Not this turn, because I'm summoning another monster! Take flight, Element Dragon!"

Konami threw the card down forcefully, causing a pink-bodied dragon with large green wings to materialize on the Field. It flapped its wings several times as it grew used to the area, before rearing its head back and shrieking happily.

Element Dragon – (Light/Dragon) – LV4 – (1500/1200)

"Hmph, another dragon is it?" Bastion asked, "Well, be that as it may, that monster still only has Fifteen-Hundred Attack Points! It can't attack without being destroyed itself!"

"Wrong, because Element Dragon has an effect of its own!" Konami explained. "See, depending on the type of Attributes present on the Field, it gets a few effects! Right now there's a FIRE monster out and about, which means that my Element Dragon gets an additional Five-Hundred Attack Points!"

"What?!"

Element Dragon roared once more, the flames being emitted by Bastion's own monster giving it additional strength.

Element Dragon – (Light/Dragon) – LV4 – (2000/1200)

"Looks like it's your turn to feel the heat!" Konami shouted, "Go Element Dragon! Take out his Solar Flare Dragon! Attack!"

Konami's monster nodded, lunging forward and clawing through Bastion's beast with ease. Solar Flare Dragon cried out as it felt each blow, before falling backward and colliding with Bastion, shattering into harmless hologram fragments.

**Konami – 2800 LP**

**Bastion – 3500 LP**

"Ah…!" Bastion winced upon feeling the pain of damage. "Not bad… but it's still less than I anticipated!"

"I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn." Konami said.

"Hmpf, attempting to take my advantage away are you?" Bastion asked. "Trying to pull ahead?"

"For now, it looks like I already have." Konami said. "But a Duel's not over until the last card is played. Until then, it's anyone's game."

"Your words ring true," Bastion agreed, "and that's why… I'm not out yet! Since you destroyed the only FIRE monster on the Field, your Element Dragon loses that Five-Hundred Point boost! Now, it's my Turn! Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – BASTION**

"I'll Set one monster in Defense Position and end my Turn!" Bastion shouted.

"What was that…?" Konami asked.

"Need I repeat myself?" Bastion asked.

"No… just wondering what happened to all that talk about not being out yet. Hiding? That look on your face is far too confident for that." Konami said to himself quietly. "Are you planning something…?"

"Well, it's your move." Bastion said, snapping Konami from his thoughts.

"Right…" Konami acknowledged. "At any rate I can't worry about that for now. If something happens I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes. My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KONAMI**

"No new monsters so…" Konami frowned, "I'll attack your Face-Down monster with Element Dragon!"

Once again the dragon roared out, swiping its claw down upon the hidden card, revealing a guarded Pyramid Turtle within.

Bastion grinned as he watched his monster die and be sent to the Graveyard.

"Hah! You just activated my monster's effect!"

"What…?" Konami asked, gazing toward Bastion curiously. "So you were planning something."

"That's right, and you fell for it!" Bastion declared. "When Pyramid Turtle is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special-Summon one Zombie-Type Monster with Two-Thousand or less Defense Points from my Deck! And the monster I'm choosing… just so happens to be the strongest monster I have! Come forth now, and ignite the flame of victory within me! I summon you, Goka, the Pyre of Malice!"

A torrent of red swept across Bastion's Field, once more engulfing it in a sea of flames. Suddenly, a bronze can suddenly appeared on the Field, holding an enraged face of flame deep within.

Goka, the Pyre of Malice – (Fire/Zombie) – LV6 – (2200/1900)

"Goka, huh…?" Konami winced, staring at the card. "Not bad…"

"Now you'll see how my true strategies play out!" Bastion declared.

"I guess so." Konami whispered, glancing at his hand. "I'll set one card and end my Turn."

"Then it's time we begin!" Bastion declared. "My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN SIX – BASTION**

"I'll start by activating Goka's effect! During each of my Standby Phases, I can Special Summon one Fireball Token in Defense Position!"

A small flame suddenly spat out of Goka's pyre, growing in size ever so slightly as it took up one of the Monster Spots on Bastion's Field.

Fireball Token – (Fire/Pyro) – LV1 – (100/100)

"Next, I'll summon this! The Thing in the Crater, in Attack Position!"

The Field erupted as a giant cave suddenly emerged beside Goka and the Token, leaving a pair of glowing eyes to suddenly stare out from the abyss. A guttural growl suddenly emerged from that general area, leaving everyone to wonder just how vicious the creature was that resided within.

The Thing in the Crater – (Fire/Pyro) – LV4 – (1000/1200)

"Battle Phase! Goka, attack Konami's Element Dragon directly!"

The flaming pyre suddenly flashed, and Konami was forced to wince as a second monster fell to Bastion's strategies.

"Guh..!"

**Konami – 2600 LP**

**Bastion – 3500 LP**

"Now, the Thing in the Crater… Direct Attack!" Bastion roared.

From deep within the cavern, a torrent of flames suddenly roared out, passing across Konami's body and leaving him to endure the nonexistent heat.

"Hah…! Darn it…!" Konami winced, shielding his eyes as he squinted through the attack.

**Konami – 1600 LP**

**Bastion – 3500 LP**

"How's that?" Bastion asked, curious as to how Konami was faring now that he understood the power of strategy.

"Your Deck's not bad…!" Konami said, wincing as he stared at the Field. "However, I'm finished yet.

"Easy for you to say, but if those face-down cards you have on your side of the Field weren't used this Turn, then I can only imagine that they must not be of much use to you right now!" Bastion declared. "You have only Sixteen-Hundred Life Points remaining… you might as well call it game over and be done with it!"

"I'm not giving up." Konami decided. "There are still cards in my hand to play. Until they have been, I won't lose."

"Is that so…? Well, you can follow that heart of yours as much as you want, but it doesn't take a genius to see that I've won this Duel!" Bastion declared. "Go on, make your move, and I'll show you what happens to those who don't know when to give up!"

"Understood." Konami said. "However, don't think I'll go down so easily."

**TURN SEVEN - KONAMI**

"My move, Draw." Konami said, glancing at the weapon he gained. "…I'll set one card face-down, and End my Turn."

"Is that all…?" Bastion asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"...Need I repeat myself?" Konami said, repeating the same words Bastion had said earlier on.

Bastion squinted at the obvious jibe, though made no move to comment on it. Instead, he focused his entire being on wrapping up the Duel at hand. He swiftly set his hand on top of his Deck, and prepared to draw.

"I see. Very well then, I'll grant you a merciful end! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN EIGHT – BASTION**

"With my Standby Phase now in effect, Goka's effect activates!" Bastion roared, sweeping his hand forward. "That means I Special Summon another Fireball Token in Defense Position!"

The Field was filled with fire once more as yet another Token appeared upon Bastion's side of the Field.

Fireball Token – (Fire/Pyro) – LV1 – (100/100)

"_That look on his face… I know that I've got this Duel in the bag, but I can't help but be worried somewhat. Those Face-downs of his… Well, in that case…!"_ Bastion thought, reaching for a card in his Hand. "Next, I'll summon the red fiend Abaki to the Field in Attack Position!"

Once more the Field grew passionate, now completely filled to the brim with FIRE monsters. A small red ogre wielding a spiked club suddenly charged out onto the Field, swinging its weapon about wildly before grinning toward Konami sadistically.

Abaki – (Fire/Fiend) – LV4 – (1700/1100)

"But that's not all! I've kept it hidden for a while now, but it's time to make use of Goka's final effect!" Bastion shouted, clutching his hand powerfully as the FIRE monsters on his side of the Field began to glow. "By Tributing one FIRE monster on my side of the Field, I can increase the Attack Power of my Goka by Five-Hundred Points until the End Phase! That means, I can remove my two Fireball Tokens to increase Goka's power by One-Thousand Points!"

As he spoke, the two Fireball Tokens present on the Field were reabsorbed into Goka's pyre, increasing the flame output tenfold as the flaming face grinned sinisterly from within.

Goka, the Pyre of Malice – (Fire/Zombie) – LV6 – (3200/1900)

Bastion smiled. With his current line-up, there was no way he could lose! It was time to wrap things up!

"It's time we end this, Konami! Goka attacks you directly!" Bastion roared, sweeping his hand out for the final blow.

"Hold it. I have a Trap Card. Nutrient Z!" Konami roared, revealing one of the Traps he'd placed earlier on in the Duel.

"Nutrient Z?! What's that?!" Bastion asked, surprised at seeing such a card in Konami's possession.

"Nutrient Z. It is a special kind of card that can only be activated during my opponent's Battle Step, on a Turn where I'd receive at least Two-Thousand Points of Damage. Once I activate it, it gives me an additional Four-Thousand Life Points, right before Damage Calculation." Konami explained. "In other words, since I already have Sixteen-Hundred Life Points… that brings me up to… Five-Thousand Six-Hundred."

"!" Bastion glowered. "Well, that may be so, but Goka's attack still goes through!" Bastion roared, watching the flames pass over Konami's form.

**Konami – 2400 LP**

**Bastion – 3500 LP**

"I pulled through…" Konami noted. "But… he still has other monsters to use…"

"That's right, and I intend to use them right now!" Bastion snapped. "First, the Thing in the Crater attacks directly!"

Another horde of fire suddenly emerged from the black cavern, washing over Konami's form and further lowering his Life Points.

**Konami – 1400 LP**

**Bastion – 3500 LP**

"And finally, the end! Red fiend, Abaki, wipe him out!" Bastion shouted, hoping, _praying_, that the attack would go through.

The large ogre-like monster suddenly lashed out with its spiked club, but Konami was ready.

"Not quite. I have one more Trap, Magic Cylinder!"

Bastion flinched. "Impossible! You have that too?!"

"That's right. Given your expression you must know what it does." Konami said.

"Tch…! Magic Cylinder… It negates the attack of an opponent's monster… and then inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the monster's Attack Points!" Bastion winced.

"That's right. Abaki here has Seventeen-Hundred Attack Points… you know what that means. All of that power you just sent at me… is going right back where it came from." Konami declared, watching one of the twin cylinders quietly engulf the wrath of Abaki's assault before transferring the energy to the second, which leaned down and launched a beam filled with just as much power right back at Bastion.

"Guah!" the Ra Yellow cried out, his body reeling back after being overcome by the wave of spiraling energy.

His body withstood the holographic assault, but it was clear that his mind had not. To have his plans thrown back in his face so suddenly… it was embarrassing, especially for a Ra Yellow student, one prized for the intellectual mind.

**Konami – 2400 LP**

**Bastion – 1800 LP**

"Impossible…! To think I'd be outsmarted so easily…!" Bastion cursed, glaring through one eye at Konami. "I underestimated him… he's not quite the fool I expected him to be. An error on my part…"

Konami slowly lowered his Duel Disk, staring at Bastion quietly in relief. It had been tough, but somehow he'd managed to pull through the Turn.

"How's that?" he asked after a moment, feeling confident enough to taunt Bastion ever so slightly.

Much to his surprise however, Bastion did not respond immediately. Instead, the Ra Yellow had winced, a stern expression coming over his face as he rose and stared Konami back.

For a moment, neither said anything.

"Not bad." Bastion finally admitted, after what was several seconds of silence. "Not bad at all. It seems I was mistaken about you, Konami. It seems you were chosen to attend this Academy for a reason."

"You believe that…?" Konami questioned, more in surprise at Bastion's sudden change in tune than the words themselves.

"Of course. I don't lie after all." Bastion smiled. "However, don't think that just because I've acknowledged you as a worthy opponent means that you'll win this Duel! You may have managed to pull through this last Turn, but I still intend on being the victor here!"

"I agree." Konami said, nodding his head slightly. "Of course, the same can be said for me as well. You may have a Field full of monsters, but don't think for a second that I won't tear through each and every one of them if it means grasping victory from you."

Bastion's smile grew. "Then it seems it comes down to this then. You and your Dragons… or me and my Fire Attributes. Which of us will the Goddess of Victory smile upon, I wonder? It's time for you to make your move, Konami."

The red-capped Duelist said nothing, his motions more than enough of an answer to Bastion.

"Don't forget," Bastion added, "with the end of my Turn Goka, the Pyre of Flames loses the attack boost it gained from my Tokens, but don't think that will make it any easier for you to destroy!"

"I know." Konami said, reaching for his next card. "I won't."

His forefingers pressed down on the top of his Deck gently. How many times had he been in a moment like this back in Tropica City…? How many times had he faced overwhelming odds in what had been a friendly Duel?

He didn't know.

The outcome was always different. Whether the card he wished for came or not, all he could do was see the battle through to the end.

He exhaled softly, analyzing the scene before him.

Bastion still had Eighteen Hundred Life Points to overcome. Guarding them, stood his three remaining monsters: Goka, the Thing in the Crater, and Abaki. Each with its own abilities, each with its own strengths. The sheer level of power Goka carried made it clear it was not the target to be dealt with. Delivering Eighteen-Hundred Attack Points worth of damage on a Twenty-Two-Hundred Attack Point monster was far too difficult a task given the current state of Konami's Field, and while he was certain he could do so if the circumstances were different, it was not a risk he was willing to take.

That being said, Abaki and the Thing in the Crater were both monsters he knew nothing about. One carried an attack of Seventeen-Hundred, the other a meager One-Thousand. The question however, was whether or not their effects would make up for their power. Konami didn't know, and that meant only one thing.

_I'll go for the weakest._

His target determined, he made to draw, but a sudden shadow in the corner of his eye gave him pause. He turned his head ever so slightly, gazing upon the one-legged Yata-Garasu now resting upon his arm.

No.

He should have known better than to randomly add the card to his Deck. Given the unusual events that had occurred ever since seeing it, Konami really should have been expecting such an encounter. But now was not the time for this. Not during this Duel, not in the final hour.

He glared at the purple feathered creature angrily.

_Don't come._

The bird tilted its head curiously, as if wondering if that was truly for the best.

_You're not needed right now. The card I desire… is this!_

Konami tore his hand from the Deck rapidly, the sheer speed of the draw giving off the illusion of a shining card. The sudden movement forced Yata-Garasu from its resting place, prompting it to soar to the clouds in search of shelter.

As it left, Konami gazed upon his drawn card.

He smiled.

"You came this time."

A single statement, yet filled with the memory of countless battles.

"Well then… since you're here, I'll make full use of you."

He added the card to his hand, before reaching for another.

"Bastion," Konami said confidently, "I'm summoning a monster."

"A Monster Summon?" Bastion wondered, his eyes squinting at the declaration. "Well, go on then, do your worst!"

"While I'm sure you'd like that, I'm afraid it's not an option." Konami replied, throwing his chosen card onto the Duel Disk. "In fact, if anything, I'll show you my best. Come on out, Lord of D!"

A golden light suddenly erupted upon the Field, and several wisps of black smoke crept out onto the landscape. Slowly, a man garbed in the guise of a dragon marched forth, his gloved hands filled with ethereal energy as he made to stare down his master's foes.

Lord of D. – (Dark/Spellcaster) – LV4 – (1200/1100)

"Lord of D?" Bastion asked. "But… I don't understand! That card only has Twelve-Hundred Attack Points! What good will it do you?!"

"Alone? Not much." Konami admitted. "However, Lord of D. has a certain ability that many overlook."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Bastion asked warily, almost afraid of the answer.

"That is, of course," Konami explained, revealing a single Spell in his hand, "the power to use the Flute of Summoning Dragon!"

The card flashed in Konami's hands as he threw it down on the Field, prompting a golden flute of draconic origin to suddenly materialize into Lord of D.'s possession.

"What?! The Flute of what now?!" Bastion repeated, his eyes wide.

"The Flute of Summoning Dragon." Konami explained. "It's a Spell Card that can only be used when Lord of D. is face-up on the Field. It's effect… well, that's what you're about to find out, isn't it? Lord of D, do what you must."

The Spellcaster nodded, pressing his lips to the grand weapon and blowing into it powerfully. For a moment, nothing happened.

But then…

The earth shook and the heavens poured down, al in awe of the coming beast. The Flute's terrible roar cried out throughout the Field, and through it all, only Konami remained unhinged.

"This noise…! What…! What is this…?!" Bastion cried, gripping his ears in frustration as the sickly roar of the Lord's flute.

"The endgame!" Konami exclaimed. "When Lord of D. presses his lips to the powerful Flute in his hands, I can Special Summon a Dragon-Type monster from my hand. And the one I chose, is more than enough to end this Duel. This time I'll show you, the power of the White-Horned Dragon!"

Konami threw his last card down upon the Field, and a white orb of light crashed down upon the Field rapidly. From within the sphere a wyvern-like shriek leapt forth, and a head of red slowly emerged from its being, followed by a winged body complete with sharp, silver claws.

"S-Slifer?!" Bastion cried out in surprise, stumbling at the sheer resemblance Konami's monster had to the legendary creature. "No…! It's something else!"

Indeed, for Konami's monster carried something Slifer the Sky Dragon did not. A single, well-polished horn that decorated the top of its head.

White-Horned Dragon – (Dark/Dragon) – LV6 – (2200/1400)

"Twenty-Two Hundred Attack Points…" Bastion breathed, "I'm safe."

"Is that what you think?" Konami asked curiously. "Look again."

Bastion did so.

White-Horned Dragon – (Dark/Dragon) – LV6 – (3100/1400)

"T-Thirty One Hundred?! But how-?!"

"It's the effect that my White-Horned Dragon has when it's on the Field." Konami said with a smile. "See, when White-Horned Dragon is Normal or Special Summoned, I can banish up to five Spell Cards in my opponent's Graveyard, then he gets a Three-Hundred point increase to his Attack Points for each one. If you'd remember… you had three Spell Cards in your Graveyard earlier!"

"Mist Body… Mage Power… and my Rush Recklessly!" Bastion cursed. "Don't tell me those three cards-?!"

He quickly glanced at his Duel Disk, only to find the cards nonexistent in his Graveyard.

"Banished." Konami said. "But don't worry. My dragon will be sure to put their power to good use. Right?"

The White-Horned Dragon roared once more, flapping its wings powerfully as it steadily rose to the sky.

"Now then, it's time I ended this, and it just so happens that you have a monster on your side of the Field just weak enough to help me do so!"

"What?! No…! Thing in the Crater!"

"That's right. You were always talking about your strategies, now it's time I showed you one of mine!" Konami shouted, thrusting his fist forward for the endgame. "Go, White-Horned Dragon! Wipe out his Thing in the Crater with your Horn Drive Buster!"

The red dragon shrieked once more at Konami's words, its shining horn gathering the power of its absorbed Spells in a bid for one final attack. Its eyes gleamed sinisterly as its horn grew brighter and brighter, and then…

The power lashed out.

A wave of white light showered forth from the dragon's horn, sweeping across the Field and slamming deep into the cavern in which the Thing in the Crater slept.

"Guh…!" Bastion winced, already knowing full well the outcome of the attack.

A grand explosion suddenly roared out from his monster slot, the shimmering sound of a destroyed monster announcing his defeat. Bastion raised his head to the sky, allowing the last of his shattered monster to sprinkle across him harmlessly.

"I lost…" he admitted, and bowed his head as his Life Points dropped.

**Konami – 1400 LP**

**Bastion – 0 LP**

The remains of the Field fizzled and crackled, and with a large crack, all remaining monsters on the Field disappeared. Lowering his Duel Disk and turning away from the Field, Konami smiled.

"It's my win."

Suddenly, the sidelines exploded with noise.

"Whoa, did you see that?!"

"Talk about a comeback! I was sure he was going to lose that one!"

"Good job you two, that was an awesome Duel!"

"Yeah, you should've used that combo earlier though Bastion! You would've had him no doubt!"

Konami and Bastion suddenly glanced around the Field swiftly, staring at the many gathered faces in the crowd.

"W-What the-? Where did all these people come from?!" Bastion exclaimed, his eyes wide in horror.

"We were being watched…?" Konami asked, both confused and surprised as to why he had not been able to notice that fact. Had he really been that caught up in the Duel…?

"Ah, sorry about that!" Jaden apologized, quickly climbing onto the Field to join the two. "People just suddenly started strolling in about halfway through! Not that I blame them or anything! That was an awesome Duel! Great job on that comeback Konami, I almost didn't see it coming!"

"Almost?" Konami wondered, tilting his head curiously at Jaden's words.

"Well yeah, I mean, when that crow of yours showed up I kind of expected _something_ was going to happen, but I just didn't know what!"

The crow…? Konami briefly wondered if Jaden meant Yata-Garasu. Did that mean that he could see it too…?

"Anyway," Jaden continued before Konami could question him, "That White-Horned Dragon of yours sure is interesting! It looks almost exactly like Slifer the Sky Dragon too! Well, you know, except for the horn! Heh, I guess that's the real reason you were placed in Slifer Red huh?"

"Indeed," Bastion agreed. "I'll admit it through me for quite the loop when you summoned it. And having an effect that relies on the opponent's Spell Card usage… it can't be easy to master."

"You're right." Konami admitted. "It's all about using it at the right time…"

"Speaking about the right time…" Jaden butt in, "How about a Duel Konami? I'm dying to see how my Heroes fare against those Dragons of yours!"

"Jaden, you've got Dueling on the brain!" Syrus sighed. "Besides, he just got done with a Duel!"

"That reminds me," Konami said, removing his Deck from the Duel Disk and pulling it off his arm. "Here you go. Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"Huh?" Jaden asked, taking the Duel Disk back into his hands. "Oh right! My Duel Disk! Heh, no problem. You should hurry up and get your own so we can throw down some time!"

"Right, I'll do that." Konami nodded, before turning toward Bastion. "So, looks like you were wrong about me."

"You are correct of course. I was mistaken." Bastion admitted, bowing his head shamefully. "Despite knowing better than to judge a book by its cover I did so regardless, and wound up paying for it in our Duel. Rest assured that it will not happen again. That being said, I do apologize for my earlier behavior. I hope it won't have any lasting effects on any future endeavors."

"It's fine." Konami mumbled. "I didn't care about that anyway."

"You didn't?" Bastion asked in surprise. "Then why…?"

"I wanted to Duel." Konami answered simply. "Using that comment was just an excuse."

"Wha-?! You mean the whole time you were using _us_?!" Jaden exclaimed in surprise.

"Aw shucks! Looks like we got played Jay!" Syrus frowned before laughing good-naturedly. "Well, it's kind of your fault the whole thing happened in the first place anyway!"

"You're right. Jaden's just one big troublemaker." Konami agreed.

"Indeed." Bastion added. "You know Konami, if you ever get tired of hanging around him you can always come join me in the Dorms. I'm sure there's plenty we can discuss in Duel Theory… and I'm interested in seeing what I can do with your Deck."

"What the-?! H-Hey! How come I'm not invited?!" Jaden asked. "And wait, doesn't it feel like you're all laughing at my expense here?!"

The four of them degraded into simple banter and conversation, and before long the crowds began to split off.

**-GX-**

**Konami spent some time discussing Duel Monsters with Bastion and the others, but before long it got dark. He decided to go back to the Girls' Dorm…**

**-GX-**

"Oh? You're back." one of the female students in the dorm said, greeting Konami as he walked through the lobby.

He paused mid-step, turning to stare at his addressor and tilting his head toward her in kind. He immediately recognized her as the same girl who'd been the first to approach him upon arriving. Yuma Miyata was her name, if he remembered correctly.

"Enjoying your first day at Duel Academy?" she questioned, moving down the stairway toward the boy gently. "I heard through the grapevine that you got in a Duel with one of the Ra Yellow students. Is that true?"

"Yeah." Konami said. "I dueled Bastion Misawa. It was tough."

"Oh… so you mean you lost?" Yuma asked curiously.

"No. Actually, you have it backwards. I was the winner of our Duel."

"H-Huh? You mean you beat Bastion?!" Yuma blinked in surprise. Steadily, her posture changed ever so slightly, giving off a more guarded appearance than she'd had before. "Wasn't he the one who got the top score on the Entrance Exam….?"

Konami didn't respond, realizing that the question was geared more toward herself than anyone else in the room.

"Well, I guess that just means we'll be hearing a lot more about you in the dorm from now on." Yuma sighed, resigning herself to that fact. "But I guess it's to be expected… a Slifer Red beating a Ra Yellow doesn't happen every day you know?"

"Is it really that rare?" Konami asked.

"Oh, yeah." Yuma nodded. "The Slifers… I'm sure you've realized by now that there's plenty of bias against them, and though it's wrong, it's not entirely unjustified. It certainly doesn't help that they keep making targets out of themselves by losing all the time."

"Some things just can't be helped." Konami said, though he didn't quite specify what he meant by that.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Yuma agreed. "Well, I'm going to turn in for the night. You should probably do the same."

Konami nodded, having already intended to do so even before Yuma appeared before him.

"Right." He said simply, watching the girl leave.

It wasn't until she was out of sight that he let a sigh escape from his lips, before gazing up toward the ceiling.

It seemed as though those in Slifer Red had plenty going against them. He'd have to work extra hard in order to make something of himself…

He adjusted the hat on his head, and stalked toward his dorm room, pondering the decisions he'd have to make.

* * *

**-Chapter Three-**

* * *

**END**


	4. Rich X Bitch

"So that's him huh…? The _Slifer._"

"Don't see why he's in red. Didn't you hear? He defeated one of the Ra Yellow students in a Duel earlier today."

"What?! No way. Are you sure it wasn't some kind of fluke?"

"Well, Ms. Fontaine _did_ tell us that he was supposed to be in Ra Yellow. From what I hear, he got into some kind of grudge match with the guy who stole his room. What was his name again…? Bastion… something."

"Oh, that guy? I hear he got top marks on the Entrance Exam. He has a pretty forgettable face though…"

Konami frowned.

As he walked the dimly lit halls back to his dorm, the Slifer couldn't help but notice how many students were gossiping about his victory over Bastion Misawa. One thing was certain; rumors had sprung up throughout the Academy rather quickly. It had only been several hours since the Duel, and he'd already heard several poorly thought ideas as to why it had happened in the first place.

From cheating girlfriends to stolen cards, Konami had heard it all. To be honest, the talk of a "grudge match" due to Bastion taking his room had probably been one of the rumors that was closer to the truth; not that Konami blamed the boy for doing so. If Bastion's room really was in a sorry state due to some kind of "curry incident", then it was only natural to desire a new one.

As he pondered this however, Konami frowned.

Did it really have to be _his_ room though…?

He sighed, continuing to make his way through the halls while listening to the surrounding gossip. Luckily, it seemed that while his sudden transfer was a hot topic among the female populace, it wasn't the _only_ topic circulating the school.

Deck building, card trading, interesting people…

It seemed the dorms were filled with all kinds of information, so long as one knew where to look.

"Kami… is this really alright?" a girl's voice asked around the corner.

"Hm? What do you mean? Of course it is! It's not like this lowlife knows how to use these cards correctly. Isn't that right, Maki-chan?"

"Ah, um… that is…!"

Konami turned the corner quietly, examining the scene before him with a wary eye. Two girls, with hair of blue and purple respectively, stood towering over another, an assortment of cards firmly grasped in the blue-haired girl's hands.

"But really, insects? I should have known you'd be using such hideous monsters." The blue-haired girl spat, glancing at the cards with a disgusted look on her face.

"T-They're not disgusting… I-I really like insects, so..." the girl on the ground frowned, averting her eyes from the girls above her.

"Well, at any rate, these are mine now. You'll just have to get used to using some other kind of monster from now on, especially if you plan on remaining in Obelisk Blue for the rest of the year!" the blue-haired girl laughed.

Konami frowned. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.

Torment. Oppression. Bullying.

It seemed that even within the hierarchy there were even more hierarchies to discover. Just being in Obelisk Blue didn't make you top dog, it seemed.

At any rate, it seemed the blue-haired girl, _Kami_, Konami remembered by the voice he'd heard, was planning on stealing the other girl's Deck. That was a bit too much, even for him.

He stepped forward, intending to put a stop to the scene before it got any further out of hand.

"Hey. What's going on here?" he asked casually, inserting himself in the conversation.

"…!"

"!?"

"!"

The three girls turned to face him in surprise, a varying degree of expression crossing all of their faces.

"It's you!" Kami breathed, "That Slifer everyone's been talking about!"

"Kami…" her purple-haired associate attempted to whisper covertly, "the cards…."

"!" Kami suddenly jerked her arm in realization, the sudden movement sending the Deck scattering about the floor messily. She glanced down at her mess with a frown, before glaring at Konami angrily. "Well? Aren't you going to pick that up?!"

"Why should I bother?" Konami asked curiously. "You're the one who dropped it in the first place."

The girl's eyes glistened in rage. Who was this _boy_, who dared think he could talk back to her?! She took a step forward, no doubt intending to tear into the _lowlife_ standing before her-

Her purple-haired associate suddenly grabbed her by the elbow, glancing around the hallway with a frightened expression on her face.

"Kami… maybe we should just let this one go… we shouldn't make a scene…" she said.

Coming to her senses, the girl took the time to glance around the hallway. It was true, she noted. Apparently a majority of their dorm mates were now entering the hallway. Inciting an argument now, in public, was unbecoming of a heiress like herself. Still, that did nothing to soothe her rage.

"Very well." she snapped, turning on her heel to march away from the scene. "You can keep those crappy cards! Come along Wisteria, we have more important things to do than waste time with these imbeciles!"

The purple-haired girl, Wisteria, nodded after a moment, swiftly turning to give chase to her enraged friend. However…

She stopped several steps in, turning to glance back at Konami and the crouching girl almost sadly before glancing around the area once more.

"Uh… Uhm…" she stuttered, as if searching for the right words. "S-Sorry!"

She turned and disappeared around the corner, continuing to chase after Kami.

"They're gone…" the crouching girl whispered to herself, before glancing around at her scattered cards. "Uhm…"

Without another word, Konami bent down, beginning to gather the cards quietly. Of course, being the type of person he was… he just couldn't help but examine one of the cards he grabbed.

"Ultimate Insect. Level Seven." he said aloud, drawing the girl's attention. If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect Level Five", while it remains on the Field all your opponent's monster lose Seven-Hundred Attack and Defense."

Before he knew what was happening, the card had been snatched from his grasp, the girl before him now clutching it close to her chest.

"D-Don't laugh…" she said quietly. "I don't need to hear it from _you_ too."

"That's a powerful card." Konami said, quietly gathering the rest of the girl's Deck before shuffling it nicely. He handed it back to the girl seconds later. "You should take better care of it."

"H-Huh?!" she replied, reeling back as Konami handed her things back to her. "Y-Yeah…."

She glanced down for a moment, quickly shuffling through her cards to ensure they were all there before glancing back at the rising Konami. "Uh, um… you are… the new transfer student, Konami right? I'm Maki Yamatani. And, well, that is…" she trailed off with a blush, before quickly bowing politely. "Thank you for the help!"

"It was nothing." Konami said, turning and stepping further down the hall. "I was just passing by."

He disappeared around inside his room seconds later, and as he collapsed on his bed, he could only wonder what new rumors were bound to spread about.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Four**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

"_And as the clock ticks forward, the time grows ever closer to my ascension…"_

The sound of rusty wheels echoed outside Konami's room, their long, grating vibrations rising the Slifer from his slumber.

Leaning up in his bed, Konami yawned, his weary eyes gazing toward the door. It stood slightly ajar, the dimmest of lights peering through. How strange. Konami was certain he had closed it prior to jumping in bed. Had someone tampered with it since then…?

He stood up, walking forward to close the door once more before hearing the sound of whispering voices outside.

"Are you sure that's necessary?" a woman asked, a distraught tone present in her voice.

"Yes. However, there is no need to fret. There is still some time before the decision must be made."

Another voice, Konami noted. One that sounded older… wiser… _familiar._

Stealthily, Konami peered through the small crack in his door, deciding to take a peek and discover just who was holding such a conversation so late into the night.

He wouldn't be disappointed.

As it turned out, the voices he heard _were_ familiar, one of them belonging to someone he'd spoken to earlier that day.

Yuma.

Across from her, however, was an even stranger sight.

The old man who'd appeared before Konami before, still bound to his frail-looking wheelchair. What was he doing back in the Girls' Dorm, and more importantly, what was he doing with Yuma? Konami leaned in, hoping to find out.

A bit too far, it turned out.

No sooner had Konami learned of their presence did they too, learn of his. The view Konami had on them was a two-way street after all. If he could see out, then they could most definitely see in.

Yuma was the first to notice his presence, as unlike the old man across from her, her back was not turned toward the young Slifer. Her eyes widened in surprise as she laid eyes on Konami, before she quickly folded in on herself, gaining the guarded demeanor Konami was growing used to seeing from her.

"You there!" she shouted as quietly as she could, an amazing feat, if Konami could say so himself. "What are you doing, spying on us?!"

Caught, Konami knew there was no point in running. With a frown he opened the door further, making to join the pair in the hallway.

"It's the middle of the night." He decided to say, choosing his words carefully. "I was just looking in to see what all the ruckus was about."

"Ruckus?!" Yuma asked, a distraught expression again crossing her face. "Were we really that loud?"

"Indeed." The old man from before chuckled. "It seems we awoke your friend here. I do apologize for that."

"You shouldn't have to apologize for anything." Yuma frowned. "He was the one spying on _us_, remember? Besides…" she glanced away quickly, folding her arms. "We're not friends."

"Wow, that's pretty harsh." Konami said. "I think I'm gonna cry now."

"W-What?" Yuma appeared even more disturbed at the boy's words. "N-No! Don't do that! It'll make a ruck- It'll make me feel bad."

Again, the old man chuckled. "What a shame. It seems the meaning of sarcasm is lost on our dear Yuma here." He swiveled his wheelchair about, turning to gaze upon Konami. "Now then, I hear you've been quite busy your first day here. Have you been settling in well?"

Konami wasn't certain why the old man seemed so interested in him, but nonetheless, he decided to be polite.

"Yeah. I've made a few friends, so it's not all bad. There's plenty of rumors going about though…" he muttered.

"Ah, yes." The old man nodded his head sagely. "I'm afraid such things are bound to occur, in a school system like this. However, you should take solace in the bonds you have forged thus far. I'm certain they will be more than enough to curb any undesirable status you may achieve."

"Gramps." Yuma said, frowning down at the old man. "You should stop bothering him with your creepy sage talk. Can't you see you're disturbing him?"

"Am I?" the man asked, raising a brow at Yuma's words. "I hadn't noticed."

An awkward silence settled between the three.

"Nonetheless," the old man continued after a moment, "Young Yuma is correct. I fear I may have overstayed my welcome. With that in mind, I do believe it's time I took my leave. There are still things to be done after all, and old friends to visit."

"You're going then? That's fine. Just try not to be spotted on your way out. You know that anyone else who sees you here won't react the way I do." Yuma scolded, looking at the man with a worn expression.

"You make it sound as if I have no experience remaining hidden." The old man smiled wryly. "Rest assured Yuma, only those I wish to see will see me in turn." he nodded his head once more toward Konami in a parting gesture, and quickly spun his chair around to leave. "Now then, if you'd excuse me…"

It seemed as though the man was truly intent on leaving. He had managed to wheel himself halfway down the hallway when Konami recalled something important he'd been wanting to ask.

"Hold on a moment." Konami called after the old man suddenly, prompting him to turn around for a brief moment.

"What is it?"

Konami walked toward the man steadily, stopping a foot in front of him and reaching into his pockets.

"Was it you…?" Konami wondered to himself aloud, grabbing the Yata-Garasu card from within their fold and holding it out for the man to see. "Is this yours?"

The old man's eyes widened a fraction of an inch.

"What's that? A card?" he asked. "Yata-Garasu, is it…?"

The man studied the card deeply, as if contemplating something.

"Ah, this is the card that was located on your desk, isn't it? I had thought it yours the first I laid eyes on it, and as such, I can only reply that no, this card is not mine." He said finally, earning a look of disappointment from Konami. "It has been quite some time since I've seen such a rare card, and if it were mine, rest assured that I would not part with it so easily. However, I find this quite strange. While it is true that the card now lie in your possession for whatever reason, it seems it doesn't quite see you as its owner either… Perhaps it has come to you for another reason, then?"

"Come to me?" Konami asked, something strange tugging at his heart. "You make it sound like this card has a will of its own or something. But that's impossible, right?"

The old man's eyes became stern at his words, and he spoke to Konami forcefully, each of his words seeming to hold the upmost importance.

"There is more to the game of Duel Monsters than you realize, lad. Have you not heard the tales of Yugi Muto and Duelist Kingdom; of Marik Ishtar and the Rare Hunters? I had thought them common knowledge by now, but it seems there are still those who do not believe…" the man trailed off for a moment, staring at Konami with a wry smile, "or perhaps… there is simply a reason for your sudden placement in Slifer Red after all."

At that moment, Konami wondered whether or not he'd been insulted, but the man was moving again before he could comment.

"Alas," he continued, whirling his wheelchair to a stop just at the corner. "I'm afraid I do not have the time to delve into such discussions. Perhaps Yuma would be of further assistance to you?"

"Huh?" Yuma blinked in surprise. "H-Hold on! Why do _I_ have to do it?!"

"It's not as if you're doing anything important at the moment is it?" the old man retorted. "Besides, I've yet to hear of any friends you've made since arriving at this academy. Perhaps spending time with him will do you some good. It's not wise to be a loner, Yuma."

"Ngh…!" Yuma glanced away, holding herself lightly. "And to think _you_ of all people would be the one to tell me that…"

"Hang on one moment." Konami interrupted the pair's discussion. "What do you mean there's more to Duel Monsters than I realize? Even more importantly… what does the Champion have to do with this?"

"What, you don't know?" Yuma asked, a stern hand on her hip as she frowned down the Slifer. "And you call yourself a Duelist? How can you not have heard of a Shadow Game?"

Shadow Game. The term rang through Konami's head. A game of darkness. Was it really something so popular…?

"He's right." Yuma said in surprise, "You _do_ need help. Still, it's not like calling one up out of nowhere would be a good idea..."

"Indeed, and fooling around with such dark sorcery is only asking to invoke a penalty game," the old man chuckled. "At any rate, I shall leave the details to you. As I've said, there are things I must tend to."

"Hold on a moment-!" Konami attempted to call out once more, but the man was already gone.

"Heh, it's no use if you call out to him like that." Yuma smiled wryly. "That man… he does what he wants, when he wants. There's no way to control him whatsoever."

"Who is he?" Konami asked, deciding that if the man wouldn't answer his questions, perhaps Yuma would.

"…" Of course, it didn't seem like she planned on revealing anything further either. "He's no one important. But… if it's not too much trouble, mind keeping quiet about him? It'll only cause trouble if others knew an old man was creeping around here after hours."

Konami frowned.

"That's asking a bit much." He said.

It was true. Given the little information they'd actually given him, there was no reason for him not to inform Ms. Fontaine of the man's presence that very instant. Yuma too, seemed to realize this, if the grief-stricken look plastered on her face was any indication.

"What more do you want?" she asked. "…I already agreed to teach you more about Duel Monsters, didn't I?"

"I already asked your friend," Konami murmured, "so I'll ask you as well. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"

He held up the Yata-Garasu card for her to see.

"Huh? A Spirit Monster?" Yuma asked. "… How should I know? Like you said, it's just another card, right?"

Konami sighed, slipping the card back inside the folds of his jacket. It seemed as though he wasn't going to get anything more out of Yuma that night. He turned around, intending to return to his room-

"Hey," Yuma called after him, stopping him mid-step. "You'll keep quiet, won't you?"

"…" Konami weighed his options. It was true that they hadn't given him much information, but they'd raised several more than needed to be answered as well.

He could have sworn that Yata-Garasu had belonged to that old man, but if that wasn't the case, then who _did_ it belong to? They'd said it didn't see him as its owner… Konami supposed the sentiment was shared. Not to mention the mysterious term they'd both used.

A Shadow Duel. A game of darkness.

Could the two possibly be connected? Yuma and that old man were definitely hiding something… but it didn't seem as though they meant any harm, for now.

"I'll do what I feel is best." Konami decided, keeping his options open.

"H-Hey!" Yuma called after him, but he ignored her.

The old man had done the same to him after all.

He entered his room, and closed the door shut behind him.

He didn't see or hear anything the rest of the night.

* * *

**-GX-**

**Morning came quick as the sun rose above the island of Duel Academy, and yet again, Konami found himself waking to the sound of chatter… He dressed and left for class…**

**-GX-**

* * *

"Hm… the new guy? I'll give him a C Minus."

"Right? He's not too cute, but he's not bad on the eyes either."

Konami yawned, marching down the steps to the Girls' Dorm as he pulled on the last of his Slifer Red Uniform. He knew he was not God's Gift to Mankind, but that didn't mean he didn't care about what the many females of the Dorm said about him.

Was his hair not silky enough? His skin not smooth enough?

"I'm less than average huh…?" he thought aloud, stopping on the bottom step to stare out toward the sky. "…is it the hat?"

"Morning, Konami!" a familiar voice called out to him from beyond the gate.

Konami turned to face the sound, noting the distinct lack of presence only capable of belonging to one person.

"Morning, Bastion." He greeted politely, making his way over to the Ra Yellow steadily.

"If I'm correct, today begins your _second_ day at Duel Academy, no?" Bastion asked, a subtle smirk on his face. "Very fitting, if I do say so myself. For it is on this _second _day that I officially dub you the _second_ best Duelist in our class!"

"Second?" Konami asked. "But I beat you, didn't I?"

"Ah, you're correct," Bastion agreed. "However, my test scores may speak differently, but I am far from being the number one Duelist in the Freshman Class. That honor I'm afraid belongs to your fellow Slifer, Jaden. You should have seen it Konami! The sheer tactics and brilliance he displayed in his battle against Professor Crowler…! It was Grade A Gold I tell you!"

"Jaden beat Professor Crowler…?"

Indeed, Konami thought he'd heard something of the sort before. And Konami had known that there had to have been a reason for Crowler's irrational hatred of the boy. If he had been shown up by a mere student of all things in front of everyone… and a "no-good Slifer Slacker" at that…

Konami smiled wryly, shocking the Ra Yellow beside him.

"That explains a lot."

"D-Did you just smile?" Bastion asked warily.

"What's the matter? Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all…" Bastion winced. "However… I do say it was quite disturbing. I'm not used to seeing that look on your face. You… who went through nearly an entire Duel emotionlessly…!"

"You've only known me for a day." Konami felt the need to point out. "Which begs the question… just what are you doing here? This is the Girls' Dorm, you know?"

"Of course I know that!" Bastion snapped. "But, despite that, it's only natural for friends to walk to class together, correct? This was only the rational thing to do."

Friends? Konami narrowed his eyes at the thought. Was he friends with Bastion? It was true that he'd defeated the boy in a Duel and settled whatever ire was between them, but…

"Defeat means Friendship, huh…?" Konami sighed.

"Huh? Did you say something just now?" Bastion asked.

"No. You must be hearing things, Bastion. How long do we have until Crowler's class starts?"

"Well, classes start at Eight AM sharp, ergo-" Bastion paused to glance at his watch. "We still have thirty minutes until we need to arrive."

"It's still a ten minute walk to the school from here." Konami frowned. "We should get moving."

He suddenly surged forward at a brisk pace, kicking up a storm of dirt and debris behind him.

"Wha-?! Konami!" Bastion winced, shielding his eyes from the incoming dust storm. "Slow down! There's still plenty of time-! Aw who am I kidding? Wait for me!"

Needless to say, with Bastion by his side Konami had little to fear in the way of directions.

They'd arrived in class with plenty of time to spare, taking their respective seats in the far back of the room as other students began to arrive.

"-I still don't' understand why you felt the need to run off like that." Bastion sighed. "We still had plenty of time."

"It's a bad habit. I've always felt the need to be punctual." Konami lied.

In truth, he was more worried about crossing paths with one of the "trio", as he'd decided to call them. Alexis was fine, and Konami was certain he could handle Jasmine's dislike of Slifers well enough, but Mindy's enthusiasm… it was far too different from Jaden's positive outlook.

"Ha! Would you look at that? I beat you Syrus!"

"Aw man…! Well, at least we made it to class on time today. Thanks for that, Chumley."

"Yeah. But… you guys shouldn't have to rely on me so often. You should really know the way here by now!"

Ah… speak of the devil.

Konami had just finished thinking about the boy when he appeared in the doorway, accompanied by the ever shy Syrus and a large, chubby, student whom Konami had yet to meet. Jaden too, seemed to know this, prompting the Slifer group to quickly make their way over to his seat.

"Yo, Konami! You made it here alright too huh?" Jaden asked with a cheeky grin. "Oh yeah! I don't think you've met this big guy yet have you? Go on Chumley, introduce yourself!"

"You kind of just did it for me…" the large Slifer, Chumley, sighed. "Still, I've heard quite a bit about you Konami. Strange how the one day I don't show up everything cool happens… Well, I guess there's no helping it. Like Jaden just said, I'm Chumley. I'm their roommate over at the Slifer Red Dorm."

"Nice to meet you." Konami greeted, shaking hands with the boy politely. "So is it three to a room there?"

"Yeah, but I doubt you'll have that problem, seeing as they're making your room up from scratch." Syrus complained. "All that noise has been keeping us up at night… right Jay?"

"Wait," Bastion interrupted them. "Making it from scratch? I thought they were merely refurbishing a room that already existed?!"

"Uh… yeah, that works too!" Jaden laughed. "Same difference, right?"

"Actually it's not." Bastion frowned. "You see, making something from scratch implies that it's-"

"Alright students settle down!" Crowler's scratchy voice broke through the conversation, and the man quickly stalked his way to the front of the class.

Quickly, though with some hint of appreciation, the Slifers scattered to their seats, grateful for the fact that they wouldn't be forced to endure one of Bastion's intellectual rants. Bonus in that Crowler failed to give Jaden the daily glare he'd been preparing all morning.

"Well students," Crowler crowed noisily, "today we'll be doing something a little bit… different. By that I, of course, mean Card Designing!"

Crowler suddenly held up several packets of blank cards, each specially stamped with the Industrial Illusions logo.

"Card Designing?" Chazz Princeton asked arrogantly from his seat in the high rear. "Isn't that crap best put to use by losers?!"

"Now, now," Crowler smiled widely. "there's no need to be rude, Chazz! After all, without Card Designers you wouldn't be armed with that lovely Deck of yours now would you?"

"Ngh…!"

"Still, it is true that Card Designing is one of the lesser paying jobs related to Duel Monsters out there." Crowler explained. "Nonetheless, it is a required segment of this class and you all will take part in it! Am I understood Slacker-boy?!"

He slammed a folder upon Jaden's desk, snapping the boy from his slumber.

"What?! No! Direct Attack! Flame Wingman, burn it up-huh?"

"Hmmmmm, dreaming of a battle in the Pro Leagues are you boy?" Crowler snarked. "Well I hate to burst your bubble, but such accomplishments are far beyond you!"

"Huh? Pro Leagues?" Jaden asked. "Nah, I was just thinking back to the time I destroyed that Ancient Gear Golem of yours-"

Most of the class laughed as they recalled the event, and Crowler's face became a steaming red.

"W-Why you...! Just for that, you get to be the first to design one of these cards! And I'll put it out on display for _everyone_ to see, so you better hope it's fantastic, Slacker-boy, otherwise, you mind find it's _you_ who winds up on the chopping block!"

"What? Wait, we're doing Card Designing today?!" Jaden asked in surprise. "Sweet! Maybe I'll be able to make a brand new type of hero!"

He quickly grabbed the package and pulled out a card, beginning to scribble on it quietly.

"Ngh…! But…! You…!" Crowler's eye began to twitch. "Fine! I'm glad to see you're so enthusiastic about this! The rest of you, take one card each and start writing! That includes you, Syrus!"

"Aw…"

Konami veered his attention away from the front as his own blank card made its way in front of him, leaving him to wonder just what kind of card he'd create. He bit the edge of his thumb lightly, deep in thought as he waited for an idea to occur to him.

He was so happy that Chumley was immediately getting into the swing of things. He'd wished he was the type to be so enthusiastic…

"Type…" he murmured quietly, realizing it was one of the few aspects of the card he'd be forced to deal with.

Well, at least that was something he could answer with ease.

Time passed, and slowly, Konami created a card he felt would give him a passing grade. It wasn't long before Crowler quickly began rotating the room to "evaluate" their work.

"Hm! Not bad, bit high on the Attack there Princeton." Crowler explained, moving through the class quickly to reach his intended target: Jaden. In the end, he skipped at least half the room in favor of berating his favorite student. "Oh, what's this? Another HERO monster hm? Let's take a look."

"Yeah, go right ahead! This new hero's bound to make you want to get your game on!" Jaden grinned, leaning back in glee of his accomplishment.

"Vision HERO Trinity." Crowler read. "Warrior/Fusion/Effect. Three "HERO" Monsters. During the Turn this card was Fusion Summoned, its Attack is double its original Attack. This Fusion Summoned card can attack three times during the Battle Phase. This card cannot attack your opponent directly."

"Pretty sweet huh?" Jaden asked.

"W-What kind of trash is this?!" Crowler asked in horror. "There's no way this card would have a chance at becoming the real deal!"

"What?! Really?!" Jaden shouted in shock.

"Let's take a look at another student's to see how its done!" Crowler said with glee, eager to make Jaden look like a fool. "Perhaps Konami has one he'd like to share with us."

Beneath his cap, Konami's eyes shot wide open. He quickly glanced down at the monster he'd created, before glancing around frantically for any sign of assistance.

There was none.

"Now, now," Crowler said, climbing the steps to Konami's seat. "There's no need to be shy. Let's see what you wrote."

Crowler held the card up high for everyone to see.

"Let's see here… "Konami Code Dragon", Level Eight, FIRE Attribute, Dragon-Type, Twenty-Five Hundred Attack Points, Twenty-Two Hundred Defense Points." Crowler cleared his throat before moving to read the description. "This legendary creature lives **up** the mountains and even higher **up **the clouds. It usually appears at sun**down**, flying **down** toward villages. No survivors are ever **left** to **right**its wicked wrongs. It strikes **twice**. Once **b**efore midnight, and once more right **a**fter."

Crowler remained quiet for several moments.

"That's… quite the description." The professor said finally, a weary expression on his face.

"You don't like it?"

"Like it? Of course I don't like it!" Crowler snapped. "How hard could it have been to create something at least remotely tangible?! Even that fool Jaden managed to crank out a Fusion Monster, and yet you-! Grrgh…! I'll have to dispose of this! The rest of you, stop gawking! Get back to work!"

Without another word, and incensed at the fact that someone created a worse card than Jaden's, Crowler sped from the room.

Konami stared down toward his now empty desk. It seemed going for humor was a mistake.

"Hmph, figures that a Slifer Slacker would ruin things for the rest of us!" a woman's sketchy voice flowed through the mentor-less classroom, drawing everyone's attention.

Konami recognized the girl in an instant; it was the same girl he'd caught bullying another back in the Girls' Dorm.

Kami, he recalled her name being.

"Konami Code Dragon? Honestly, just how stupid can you be?"

"This is why Slackers don't belong in this school!" Chazz agreed, glaring at everyone wearing red in the room.

"That's enough you two." Bastion said, trying to calm the situation. "You can't expect everyone to be on the same level that you are."

"Tch! Who do you think you're talking to, scum?!" Chazz glowered. "I hear that you're the one who got ace scores on the Entrance Exam, right? Yet you have the audacity to lose to a Slifer Red Transfer Student…! Have you no shame?!"

"T-That was-!"

"No one here cares for your excuses." Kami interrupted, folding her arms imperiously and glaring down upon the class.

"And you think people care for your incessant bitching?" Konami asked, gazing up toward Kami.

"!"

The class all gazed toward Konami in shock.

"K-Konami." Bastion whispered in surprise.

"Whoa…"

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" Konami asked Bastion, tilting his head at the Ra Yellow curiously.

"N-No, it's just…" Bastion trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

Kami however, did.

"Y-You! You dare…?!" she shouted, standing from her seat and slamming her hands on her table.

Konami glanced back at the girl in surprise, only to find rage and hatred sowing in her eyes.

Whatever the reason, it seemed a storm was brewing.

And he was right in the middle of it.

* * *

**-Chapter Four-**

* * *

**END**


	5. Night X Light

"And you think people care for your incessant bitching?" Konami asked, gazing up toward Kami.

"!"

The class all gazed toward Konami in shock.

"K-Konami." Bastion whispered in surprise.

"Whoa…"

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" Konami asked Bastion, tilting his head at the Ra Yellow curiously.

"N-No, it's just…" Bastion trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

Kami however, did.

"Y-You! You dare…?!" she shouted, standing from her seat and slamming her hands on her table.

Konami glanced back at the girl in surprise, only to find rage and hatred sowing in her eyes.

Whatever the reason, it seemed a storm was brewing.

And he was right in the middle of it.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Five**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that?!" Kami snapped, flailing her arms about angrily.

"Me? Well, I'm Konami. Who else would I be?" Konami replied. "You seem pretty upset right now, Kami. Is something wrong?"

"Don't you dare refer to me by that name!" Kami scowled. "That's a privilege reserved for those I deem worthy of it, and a dimwit Slifer _Slacker_ like you will never hold that honor!"

"My apologies. I didn't realize I was in the presence of such a spoilt little princess. Do you want us to bow down and kiss your boots as well? No, wait, I got it. You'd rather skip all that and get to the part where you steal our cards, right?" Konami asked.

The class all glanced around at each other in confusion.

"Stealing cards? What's he talking about?"

"Is he accusing her of being a thief?"

"There was that scene in the dorm yesterday…"

Those conversations grew louder and louder, and Konami noted with some delight that Kami seemed to grow even more incensed with each comment. It didn't take her long to burst.

"That's enough!" she roared, slamming her hand down on her desk angrily. "I shall not stand here and be ridiculed by the likes of you!"

"You're welcome to sit."

"Do you not know who I am?!" Kami hissed. "I am Kami Umino, heiress to the Irvine Corporation! I could see you expelled for this!"

Konami turned toward Bastion quietly.

"Hey," he asked, drawing the Ra Yellow's attention. "What's this Irvine Corporation thing? Is it important?"

"Urk…!" Bastion glanced at Konami in shock. "You mean… you don't know?! The Irvine Corporation, better known as the SIC, is a Virtual Game Company that debuted some ten fifteen years ago! They're known for working closely with Kaibacorp and Industrial Illusions, having released Duel Monster Games like _The Falsebound _Kingdom and _Virtual Capsule _Monsters! In other words, you can assume that her family seems to have a direct in with Maximillian Pegasus and Seto Kaiba themselves!"

"Hmph!" Kami folded her arms arrogantly and smirked. "That's right! So if you know what's good for you you'll apologize for your rude behavior this instant! Who knows, if you beg, I might just forgive you!" she tossed a hand through her hair nonchalantly, waiting for Konami to do just that.

"So you're saying her family owns a company similar to Kaibacorp… yet she herself has no power, right?" Konami asked, earning a wary, cautious nod from Bastion. "Right then. I refuse."

"Heh, that's the way." Jaden agreed from the front row. "After all, I doubt hotshots like Seto Kaiba and Pegasus have the time to hear the whims of some prissy little princess who has to have daddy do everything for her anyway. Way I see it, the best way to settle this would be a Duel!"

"Oh, Jaden. Is that the only way you ever think about solving things?" Syrus sighed.

"Shut it loser! No one asked for your opinion!" Chazz snapped from the back seat. "But, as luck would have it, that Slifer Slacker's right! This is a school built for Dueling after all! There's no better way to deal with you red dirtbags than showing you what's what right from the get-go! And if Slacker boy here loses, then he has to do whatever Kami says! Sound good?"

Konami resisted the urge to scowl. Yet again, it seemed as though everyone was running around making his decisions for him. He'd have to learn to be more outspoken sometime…

"Y-You don't really expect me to waste my time dueling scum like that, do you Chazz?!" Kami asked, glancing at her fellow Obelisk Blue warily.

"Huh? What's the matter? Don't tell me you're scared of that Slifer Slacker?!" Chazz grimaced, invoking a wave of fear in the girl.

"N-No! Of course I'm not!" Kami said frantically, glancing around the room for any sign of support.

She wouldn't get any. It seemed as though most of the class had fallen for Jaden's idea of settling things with a Duel. Apparently, they felt it was a good way to clear the air.

Slifer vs. Obelisk.

Red vs. Blue.

A never-ending rivalry that would last for all time…

Pressing her fingers to her brow, Kami sighed. "How annoying… Fine then! We'll Duel! The Abandoned Dorm, Nine o'clock! Don't be late, or I'll be forced to tell everyone how much of a coward you are!"

"The Abandoned Dorm…?" several students in the room whispered. "That creepy old place…?"

"No one will be there to interrupt us!" Kami spoke haughtily, folding her arms yet again in triumph. "So, do you accept my terms?"

Konami took a quick glance around the room. It seemed as though most of the class was expecting him to do it. Well, it was true he'd only had one Duel since arriving… and he could use the Duel as a way to understand the Obelisk Blues better…

"Fine. I accept." Konami said. "Nine o'clock. The Abandoned Dorm."

Bastion winced. "Konami… I do hope you realize just how dangerous the situation you got yourself in is."

Konami frowned, glancing up toward Kami, who was whispering harshly with her twin-tailed associate.

"….Yeah. Me too."

Classes continued without much incident upon Crowler's return, though the tension in the room was palpable. Even Crowler himself seemed to be dissuaded from any further bullying, settling in his own chair and watching the students complete their work dutifully.

It came as a blessing when the final bell rang, releasing students from their daily duty of attending class.

Konami, knowing that his predicament was likely to draw even more attention, quickly made to leave, only to find his shoulder grabbed by the ever watchful Bastion.

"Konami, surely you don't really intend on dueling Kami there…?" he asked worriedly.

"Of course I do. What would be the point of agreeing if I planned to skip out?" Konami replied. "Don't tell me… you don't think I can win?"

"Oh, of course not!" Bastion said. "On the contrary, having seen your skills firsthand I do believe it will be a Duel worth seeing, however… having it take place in the Abandoned Dorm of all places… you realize that the location is off-limits for a reason?"

No. In fact, Konami had not heard anything about the Dorm being off-limits. It was one of the few places Mindy had avoided during the Academy Tour of Love.

"We aren't allowed there? Why?" Konami questioned.

"To be honest, I'm not certain myself." Bastion admitted with an uneasy frown. "However, I'm sure that the staff won't treat anyone found wandering the premises kindly. If you do intend to partake in that Duel, you should be careful."

"You should be careful about any Duel you get into!" Jaden agreed, crashing in on their conversation on his way out. "But as long as you trust in your Deck, there's no way you can lose!"

"If only the rest of us had your enthusiasm…" Syrus said. "But man Konami! I sure didn't expect you to talk back to Kami that way! Weren't you scared?"

"No. There was no reason to be, when dealing when someone like her." Konami explained, going on to tell them about his first encounter with the blue-haired princess.

"What?! Bullying people into giving up their rare cards?!" Jaden scowled. "There's no way I can accept something like that! And from what you described, she didn't even win them in an Ante Duel!"

"Such tactics are forbidden at this Academy anyway." Bastion noted. "At least for the time being."

"Didn't anyone think of reporting her?" Chumley asked.

"Of course not." Syrus frowned. "They're all too scared of her father using his connections to get them expelled for "besmirching his daughter's good name"."

"Well, then I guess it's just up to Konami here to avenge all those people who lost their cards!" Jaden grinned. "You shouldn't have a problem with her, right pal?!"

"We'll see." Konami shrugged, not wanting to grow overconfident. He hadn't seen Kami Duel personally after all. "Are you coming to watch?"

"Nah!" Jaden winced. "I would, but Syrus says I have too much make-up work to catch up on."

"It's what you get for skipping out on Professor Banner's lecture the first week of class! The test is coming up soon you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Jaden replied, covering his ears. "Heh, guess I'll just have to settle for hearing the outcome this time. Anyway, you two take care, I'm gonna head out!"

"Yeah, we're gonna look in on some of the sandwiches!" Chumley smiled. "You should tag along sometime!"

"Right." Konami agreed. "I'll keep it in mind."

Chumley nodded once more at the boy, before following Jaden and Syrus out the room.

"Well then, I suppose that means I'll be the only one joining you on this little adventure." Bastion hummed.

"Hm? You're coming?" Konami wondered.

"Of course. You don't expect me to leave my dear friend to fend for himself do you? It just wouldn't be rational!" Bastion explained.

There was that word again. Friend. Konami felt he'd be hearing a lot of that in the future, especially if he continued to keep company with people like Jaden. Not that it was a bad thing, mind. It was refreshing to have someone to toss ideas around with, especially when forced into such a scenario as the one Konami now faced. He nodded once, responding to Bastion's comment in kind while making his way toward the door.

"Understood. Let's go then." Konami said, attempting to look cool as he walked out the room. "I have a lot of preparing to do."

Leaving the classroom, Konami walked with Bastion partway, before breaking off to return to his own dorm room. Both of them had preparations to be made, and solemnly, they agreed to meet up an hour before the destined time.

Even so… it wasn't until Konami returned to the Girls' Dorm that he realized just how tense the situation had become.

The oppressive atmosphere he'd been treated with before had changed, becoming thicker… _stronger._ He could feel the wary, watchful eyes of each Obelisk Blue as he passed by them, knowing full well that the following weeks, if not years, of his Academy Career would be affected by the outcome of that night's battle.

Konami swallowed quietly as he opened the door to his room, only to come face-to-face with the ever vigilant Yuma.

"You're an idiot."

The words flowed out of her lips in an instant, and Konami was suddenly more confused about that than why she was sitting in his room, on his bed.

"Not even some of the Obelisk Blues here would have thought of challenging Kami, and yet you go right out and insult her…" Yuma sighed, as if she expected such stupidity from the very beginning. "But then, I guess that's what happens when you leave something like subtlety in the hands of a Slifer Red."

"Yuma." Konami sighed, closing the door gently behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" the girl asked, rising from her place on the bed to fold her arms cautiously. "I promised you didn't I? I said we'd hang out… for the sole purpose of researching Duel Monsters of course! So don't go getting any funny ideas… jerk."

She glanced away as she said that, a light blush adorning her cheeks.

Konami thought it was almost cute.

Almost.

"I can't right now." Konami shrugged. "I have a Duel soon."

"And this is why I say you're an idiot." Yuma sighed. "You think I don't know that? The whole school knows about what happened in Crowler's class today! You'd think with the number of bets going on that the teachers would have found out… it amazes me how oblivious they can be sometimes. But anyway, it just so happens that this Duel of yours might be useful for us. It's being held in the Abandoned Dorm, right? Turns out that place is known for all kinds of shady occurrences. Disappearing students… strange noises… It wouldn't surprise me if a Shadow Duel wound up appearing there at some time or another."

"The Games of Darkness…?"

"Right. Glad to see you haven't forgotten everything we talked about earlier." Yuma smiled slightly. "Though that reminds me… you accepted a Duel with Kami, but you still don't even have your own Duel Disk yet, do you?"

Konami winced. That had actually been one of the issues he had been set on addressing… and it seemed as though Yuma had the same idea.

"I should've known when I didn't see it on your forearm this morning." Yuma sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. I'll just have to lend you mine when we get there."

It was at that point that Konami noticed a certain vibe.

"Wait. When "we" get there? You're coming as well?"

"Of course. Like I said, the Abandoned Dorm is a hotspot for supernatural activity. If there's anywhere to teach you about the existence of Shadow Duels, there's no place better to go."

"…" Konami adjusted his stances somewhat. "You just want to see the Duel, don't you?"

"…!" Yuma flinched. "Impossible…! You saw through me?!"

"Yeah. It wasn't that hard." Konami said, turning his attention to his Deck. "Should I use the Tyrant…?"

"Not that hard huh…?" Yuma frowned. "I guess I still need more work then, huh?"

Konami glanced up at her, tilting his head curiously. "Did you just say something?"

"No. Forget it." Yuma said. "Just focus on getting ready. You only have a few hours after all."

The boy smiled. So it seemed she understood after all.

"Thanks. In that case…" he suddenly moved Yuma, pushing her forward from behind.

"Huh?! Hold on-! What do you think you're-?!"

She was suddenly outside the room.

"You aren't needed."

He closed the door in her face, finally gaining the peace and quiet he desired when strategizing.

Well, save the few annoying comments and bangs on the door.

**-GX-**

**Konami prepared for his Duel with Kami quietly, watching the clock tick ever closer to the arranged time… Soon enough, it was time to leave.**

**-GX-**

"Duel Disk? What do you mean you don't have a Duel Disk?!"

It was an hour before the aforementioned time, and Konami stood in front of the Main Office, supported from behind by Yuma and Bastion.

"Oh no, no! This simply will not do!" Ms. Fontaine frowned, setting a hand to her cheek softly. "This sort of thing should have been dealt with on your first day here… Don't tell me that Crowler forgot to fill out the paperwork…?"

"Hey. Are you sure you want to do this now?" Yuma whispered from behind. "Like I said, I'm more than happy to lend you mine if you need it."

"No. There's no point if I don't use my own." Konami said after a moment.

"Hang on here." Ms. Fontaine spoke up, interrupting their brief conversation. "Let me grab one from the back. I'll go ahead and register you and we can fill out the paperwork later tonight. Is that all right?"

Konami nodded.

Finally… he'd have his own Duel Disk.

Ms. Fontaine left the counter at that, stepping into the back room and shuffling around through several boxes. As she did so, Bastion sighed, rubbing his brow with two fingers.

"I certainly hope this won't take long. Don't forget, the Duel with Kami is supposed to be in an hour."

"Oh stop worrying, sour puss." Yuma chastised. "She just said he could handle all the paperwork involved later didn't she? Sheesh, you Ra Yellows are always such worrywarts…."

"S-Sour puss?!" Bastion asked, aghast. "No, who are you anyway? I wasn't told that a girl from the Obelisk Blue Dorms would be accompanying us."

"Well, I bet you aren't told a lot of things." Yuma countered. "Though that reminds me…" she turned to Konami, a steady frown on her face. "You haven't told anyone about last night, have you?"

"No. Though if the look on his face is anything to go by, I might have to tell Bastion." Konami said.

"What…?" Yuma turned back to the Ra Yellow, only to find him staring at the two in surprise. "What's the matter with you?"

"…L-Last Night?" Bastion repeated suspiciously. "W-Why Konami… I didn't realize you were such a go-getter."

"What…?" Yuma asked, reeling back slightly. "No, hold on…" she glanced between Konami and Bastion, before gasping in realization. "Oh, disgusting! It's not like that you pervert! We just had a run-in with each other, that's all!"

"A run-in you say…?" Bastion asked coyly. "I see how it is. Due to the difference in ranks you can't go public, so you meet in secret to proclaim your love for one another…!"

"Ugh… is he always like this?" Yuma asked.

Konami shrugged. "No. I think you broke him."

"Well he better get fixed, and quick!" Yuma scowled. "Otherwise he'll have something else to babble about outside of those delusions of his."

She clenched her fists forcefully, pounding them together as if threatening to wail on the poor boy. Fortunately, Ms. Fontaine's swift return prevented any violence from taking place.

"Here we are! One Duel Disk for our dear Transfer Student!" the woman smiled cheerfully, handing over a worn, but well-treated Duel Disk. "It's a little rough and used, but it should be fine for Dueling. Like I said, I'll have the paperwork sent over to your dorm room later tonight. Was that all I can help you with?"

Konami stared at the Duel Disk in his hands, testing its weight and size several times before sliding it onto his arm softly.

"No." he said, giving the woman a soft shake of his head. "That was all. Thanks for the help."

"Don't mention it. It's my duty to help my students after all! Oh, but before you go, I thought I'd go ahead and tell you…" Ms. Fontaine said, recalling something important. "It seems like that refurbishing job is just about done! They said you'll be free to move in in _two days_. Isn't that great? You'll finally be able to move in to your own Dorm!"

"Yeah… great." Konami said, giving a quick glance to Bastion.

The Ra Yellow smiled sheepishly.

"Well then," Yuma said, breaking in between the two before anything more on the subject could be said. "Thanks for the info Ms. Fontaine, but we'll be leaving now. Come on you two, we need to go this way…"

She began guiding Konami and Bastion out the classroom, leaving the smiling, ignorant Fontaine by herself.

The path to the Abandoned Dorm was long and winding, though Yuma's pace was far more considerate than that of Mindy's. Secretly, Konami was grateful. He didn't know if he'd have been able to Duel after enduring another "Academy Tour".

Twenty minutes into their walk, they'd arrived.

* * *

**The Abandoned Dorm**

* * *

Old and decrepit, the Abandoned Dorm's color had long since faded, leaving naught but a rusted old building standing in its place. Its walls creaked and groaned with every movement, and its dome-shaped roof looked as though it'd collapse at any given moment.

It was the very definition of creepy, and Konami supposed that explained Yuma's sudden desire to attend. If there was any place to engage in a "Game of Darkness", where better than a scary-looking building like that?

"We should head in." Yuma said, being the first to speak among them. "We don't want to get caught wandering outside by security. We could get in some real trouble just by being around here."

"Right." Konami agreed, accompanying Yuma further inside as Bastion tagged along.

"We should tread carefully. There's no telling what may await us inside." Bastion said.

Konami shook his head. "We just need to wait for Kami to show up. Then we can start the Duel and get out of here."

"But where is she?" Yuma asked. "You'd think she'd have gotten here early as well, considering. Well, I guess it doesn't matter. This just means we have more time to explore."

Moving forward, Yuma pushed the doors leading inside the door open. The walls shuddered at the movement, and several large plumes of dust fell from the ceiling upon their arrival.

"Gah! My clothes!" Bastion coughed. "I should have realized it'd be foolish to rush in so suddenly. I'll need to wash these clothes when I return to the Dorm."

"Tsk. Of all things, you're worried about your clothes?" Yuma asked incredulously. "You're a pretty strange person, Bastion Misawa."

"Hm?!" Bastion blinked. "And you're not? Following us here to this Dorm… you're a rather unique person yourself, I think."

"Of course. There's only one Yuma Miyata in the world after all." Yuma smiled slyly.

"Quiet." Konami said. "We're going in."

Taking the lead, Konami lead the group further inside the dorm, wary of any broken floorboards or sharp objects. It was strange, he thought, traveling through such an area on an island renowned for its state-of-the-art technology, but he couldn't help but feel somewhat excited as well.

Just how far would they have to search before Kami appeared before them? It was an interesting prospect.

They passed through the first floor hallway without incident, walking up the stairs leading to the second floor and still seeing no sign of Konami's would-be opponent.

"Hrmph… is it time yet?" Bastion asked, glancing down at his watch.

Yuma frowned. "Probably. Have you still not seen anything, either of you?"

"No. I doubt she's here." Konami said, turning back to Bastion. "What time is it?"

"Nine Fifteen." The Ra Yellow winced. "I don't understand. This was the agreed upon location, was it not?"

"No." a voice suddenly called out from behind them. "It was. However, surely you realize by now that Kami simply isn't coming?"

The three students turned in surprise at the voice, their eyes wide as they stared into the oncoming darkness.

"What's that?! Who's there?!" Yuma shouted.

The sound of approaching footsteps filled the air, and slowly, a silhouette of a thin-framed woman came into view. It didn't take long for Konami to make out the rest of her features in the dark either, and in moments, he understood just who it was that stood before them.

"You're the girl who was hanging around Kami." Konami recalled. "Wisteria, she said your name was."

The twin-tailed girl frowned upon being recognized, a stern hand on her hip as she stared down the three students.

"That's right. I'm surprised you remember that, given how short our first meeting was. I don't think I even gave my name to you that day, Slifer."

That was true. The only reason he knew it was because Kami herself had spoken to the girl. Still, her presence in the Abandoned Dorm was disconcerting. Why was she there…? Was she sent to take Kami's place in the Duel…?

Wisteria raised her hands in a placating fashion, revealing her lack of a Duel Disk.

"Relax." she said gently, easing the thick tension in the air. "I'm not here for a fight."

"Then why are you here?" Bastion asked, his eyes stern. "You said Kami wasn't coming, correct? The only rational explanation would be for you to take her place, no?"

"Hmph. For the one to get the top score on the Entrance Exam you're not very smart, are you?" Wisteria asked. "You're telling me you can't think of another reason Kami wouldn't come here…?"

Yuma scowled. "You mean she was never planning on coming in the first place?"

"That's right. At least it seems like one of you has a brain." Wisteria said. "It was a set-up. A trick. She told me all about it after class. The fact that she informed the Chairwoman of your being here…"

"The Chairwoman?!" Bastion asked in surprise.

"That rule stickler?!" Yuma winced.

Konami glanced between his companions in confusion.

"Oh, right. I guess you wouldn't know." Bastion scowled. "The Chairwoman is the head of security here at Duel Academy. If Kami told her that we're out here at the Abandoned Dorm…"

Yuma picked up where Bastion left off. "…then you can expect her to come crashing in at any moment looking to punish us for breaking the rules."

"Correct." Wisteria smirked, folding her arms. "I'm certain that you all know the punishment for being caught in the Abandoned Dorm?"

"…!"

"…?"

"Explusion." Yuma answered yet again. "That Kami…! She set this up from the beginning to get you expelled…?"

"Why are you telling us this?" Konami asked, turning to Wisteria for answers. "I don't see what good it will do you. Isn't Kami your friend?"

"Don't get me wrong." Wisteria glowered. "I didn't do this out of any desire to become buddy-buddy with the likes of you. I just don't care for people who'd besmirch the name of Duel Monsters."

"That's right." Konami remembered. "You apologized back then too, didn't you…?"

Yuma and Bastion glanced at Konami in confusion.

"Back then?" Bastion asked. "What are you talking about?"

Quickly, he reminded them of his first encounter with Kami, including the part where Wisteria apologized.

"Hmph, that friend of yours has some nerve!" Yuma said finally, glaring through Wisteria angrily.

"You can say what you want, but know that I have no intention of standing here and being berated by you." Wisteria frowned. "You should know that the Chairwoman's already on her way here. If I were you, I'd leave before you get caught, or worse, _expelled._"

Without another word, Wisteria tossed a hand through her hair, before turning on her heel and disappearing back into the darkness.

"Well, thanks for the heads up." Bastion grunted. "But to think that woman would use a Duel in such a way! Has she no honor?!"

The sound of the front door opening answered his question.

"Quick!" a female's voice exclaimed from downstairs. "Spread out! If anyone's here, we'll find them!"

"She's already here?!" Yuma winced. "That's not good!"

"What do we do? We're on the second floor!"

Konami turned, guiding the group further down the corridor away from the stairs.

They needed to find a way out, and fast.

"First floor's clear! Moving up!"

"Here they come! Is this the end?" Bastion asked. "My dreams of scholarly renown…"

A one-winged crow glided across Konami's vision.

"No. We won't be caught tonight. Come on, Bastion." he said, following the bird into one of the many rooms.

It stood quietly on a window pane, its glass shattered and long broken.

"That's…!" Yuma exclaimed.

"You want to use that to escape?" Bastion asked. "It'll be risky…"

"It's our only hope." Konami said, watching Yata-Garasu fly off into the night.

He climbed over the glass, using the plant overgrowth and wood platforms to make his way to the bottom. Yuma and Bastion followed him, albeit clumsily, and in mere seconds the three of them were safely on the ground.

"Great, now what?"

"Run."

"What?" Bastion repeated.

Yuma pointed upward, gesturing to the soft glow of searchlights nearing their location.

"_RUN!_"

* * *

**-Chapter Five-**

* * *

**END**


	6. Glee X Plea

In the end, through sheer brilliance and luck, they'd managed to escape. Whatever followers they had either didn't see them, or gave up long before they'd reached the gates displaying the "Off-Limits" sign at the Abandoned Dorm. Either way, Bastion wasn't the only one out of breath by the time they'd made it as far as the Ra Yellow Dorm.

"Tsk! That scumbag Kami…! When I get my hands on her…!" Yuma grimaced, glaring at nothing in particular as she keeled over and caught her breath.

"We should have known better than to trod ignorantly into such a place." Bastion agreed. "Though the situation could have been far worse. At any rate, at least we weren't caught."

Konami nodded in agreement. Out of everything, what was most important was that everyone made it out alright. Seeing as that was the case, coupled with the fact that they were no longer on prohibited premises, there was no reason for them to keep their guard up any longer. Konami slumped his shoulders, allowing a long, billowing noise to erupt from his throat. Whether it was a sigh or a groan, or perhaps something in between, no one knew.

"With a sound like that, I can only imagine that you're as tired as the rest of us." Bastion proclaimed, his own face carrying a rather weary look. "It's to be expected I suppose… the high-risk scenario we found ourselves in didn't exactly wind up in our favor after all. Still, I'm rather surprised you managed to find an open window for us to escape from. Have you been doing some secret adventuring on your time off?"

"Hardly." Yuma sighed. "He just got lucky. It's a good thing he did though, otherwise all three of us would have a lot of explaining to do, and I doubt Kami planned on backing us up if we got caught. Nice of her friend to warn us like that though. Who knows what would have happened if she hadn't shown up." she exchanged a glance with Konami. "We'll have to thank her when we get back to the dorm."

"Well, I do believe I will leave that thanking business to the two of you." Bastion yawned. "I still have some homework to complete, and at this rate, I do believe I may have to wake up an hour early to complete my morning exercise as well! Still, this was a rather enlightening experience. We should do it again sometime, _without_ the security concerns of course." He nodded at both Yuma and Konami before turning around. "Good night!"

Without another word Bastion walked off, entering the Ra Yellow Dorms and closing the door behind him. Konami and Yuma exchanged another glance once he had disappeared from view.

"Funny guy, your friend." Yuma said first, earning a nod of agreement from Konami.

"Yeah… he means well though."

"Never mind that. You realize it, don't you?" Yuma frowned, glancing at Konami's Deck Holster suspiciously. "The only reason we managed to get out of there without getting caught… was because that Yata-Garasu in your possession showed up at the last moment to guide the way. Like the legends of old it appeared in your time of need, lighting a path to safety… yet _he_ said it doesn't see you as its owner at all. Just who or what _are_ you to it then? A friend? An ally? Or maybe…" Yuma trailed off, leaving Konami to wonder what she was about to say.

"You can see it too?" he asked instead, focusing on what seemed most important at the moment.

"Huh? Oh, you mean Yata-Garasu?" Yuma asked. "Of course. It's nothing more than a simple Duel Spirit after all. I wouldn't be surprised if other strong Duelists can see them as well."

Duel Spirit. The word tugged at Konami's very soul. A Spirit of the cards. Perhaps that explained it resemblance to the artwork…? Konami briefly recalled that Jaden had mentioned seeing Yata-Garasu as well, if only for a moment. Was it possible…? Did Jaden know what it was as well? Konami made a mental note to find out when he had the chance…

"Hey, you feeling alright? You zoned out there for a moment." Yuma said.

"What? Yes, I'm fine." Konami assured her. "Regarding Yata-Garasu… I don't know what it wants. If I did, I'd have already helped it out."

"Idiot." Yuma smiled. "I know that. The question though, is whether or not Yata-Garasu does. Anyway, with the Chairwoman and her goons occupying the Abandoned Dorm, it doesn't look like we'll be able to further your education in regards to Shadow Duels tonight. We'll have to try again later. Maybe when you aren't being targeted by that arrogant girl?"

"Which one?" Konami asked.

Yuma laughed. "That's the question huh? Anyway, we should be heading back. I know it's not as bad as being expelled, but I'd rather not get in trouble for being caught with a boy after curfew, especially with that Bastion thinking what he did… Thanks for that by the way. I didn't say anything while he was around, but the way he reacted… it's proof that you didn't tell anyone about _that_. I guess that means you're a pretty trustworthy person after all!"

"I do what I can." Konami said. "You're not half bad yourself."

"I thought it was a bad idea before…" Yuma mused. "…but seeing how you acted under pressure tonight changed my mind." She shuffled her feet for a moment, folding her arms behind her back while frowning at the ground. "He was right you know," she said suddenly, "when he said I don't have many friends, that I'm a loner. Everyone around here always acts like they're wound up with their own varying problems, and it just gets so annoying hearing them rant about them all the time. Makes me wonder if there's really any point to it all…"

"There is." Konami said with the upmost certainty. "Making friends… using what little time we have to create everlasting bonds in the future… Isn't that what being here at Duel Academy is all about…? Forging connections to put yourself in a better position at graduation… some people may see it that way… it's all up to you, how you interpret that meaning."

"H-Huh? What's with that? You're saying that it's our job to get a whole bunch of friends?" Yuma asked, settling into silence for several moments. "Hmm… You act like you have no clue about anything, but you're actually a pretty deep and observant person huh?" Yuma asked, looking at the boy with a small smile. "A "deep" person… Yeah… That's right. I guess in that way, you're just like me." Yuma laughed. "Maybe that's why I feel like I can trust you a little... But if it's like that, you won't mind, will you? If I considered you a friend?"

"Want me to "connect" with you while we're at it?" Konami asked, referring to Bastion's earlier assumption.

"H-Huh? Idiot! N-No one wants you to do that!" Yuma frowned. "Seriously, don't kid around like that! It's creepy."

Konami laughed, shaking his head at the flustered look on Yuma's face.

"So it's really not a problem?" she asked finally.

Konami shook his head.

"Heh, great." Yuma smiled. "Here then, as proof of our "bond", or whatever you want to call it. You like dragons, right?"

She handed Konami a card from the folds of her Deck Holster, smiling all the while. It was obvious to Konami that refusing wasn't an option. He took the card into his hands, staring at the small dragon displayed in the artwork.

Decoy Dragon. A Level Three FIRE-type Effect Monster. Was he supposed to try and make use of this card in the near future…?

"Hey, snap out of it." Yuma said suddenly, steadily backing away from the boy before turning to sprint. "You may be all giddy now that you've got a brand new card, but don't forget, you still have that Duel Disk paperwork to fill out when we get back!"

His eyes widening frantically, Konami slid the card in with the rest of his Deck before giving chase. He may not have gotten the chance to Duel… but he felt that somehow, he'd gotten a little bit stronger.

"_I made a friend today… His name's Konami."_

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Six**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

Needless to say, Kami was none too happy to find that Konami and Bastion were safe and well the next morning as Crowler's class began. She'd been glaring at the pair all day, no doubt attempting to have them burst into flames through the sheer degree of hate she shone down upon them.

Konami however was far too focused on the lecture to care however, or rather, the lack of one. For the first time since his arrival at the school, Crowler was running late. The many students of his class had also seemed to pick up on that fact, as mass crowds had quickly begun to amass around Kami and Konami in hopes of learning just who had won the "Steaming Hot Battle".

"O-Of course, that is to say… I would have won, of course…" Kami trailed off, knowing better than to lie with Konami and Bastion right in front of her. If it had just been a Slifer, then certainly, she believed she would have been able to humiliate the boy in a debate, but with the studious Ra Yellows on his side…

"What you mean to say is that the Duel had to be postponed, right?" Konami said suddenly, drawing the crowd's attention.

"Eh?! Postponed?! Why?"

"What's the point in that?!"

"You're not running away are you, coward?!"

"On the contrary." Konami disagreed. "It was Kami's idea, right?"

Kami glanced around at the sudden eyes on her, everyone wondering the same thing.

"O-Of course, I was getting to that…"

"Hmph, why don't you just tell them already?" Wisteria said finally, apparently having grown tired of the humiliating show.

"Wisteria…?" Kami hissed, as if afraid the girl was going to give away her ill-conceived plan.

"Isn't it obvious?" Wisteria said instead, fluidly. "She didn't want to disappoint you all by holding the Duel in secret, so she decided to make it a public affair instead. Of course, the details still need to be glossed over by a teacher, but I'm sure someone like Crowler would have no problem agreeing to host a match against a Slifer Red, right Kami?"

"R-Right!" the girl sighed inwardly in relief, fooling much of the class. "I couldn't simply leave my adoring fans in the dark after all now could I?!"

Konami sighed, turning his attention back to the front as the cheers and cries of Kami's name began to fill the class.

"Figures… I should have known better."

"That Wisteria…" Bastion whispered. "I wonder what her game is. First she saves us, then she turns it around and keeps Kami from putting her head on the chopping block! I don't like it."

"It's fine." Konami interrupted. "She can do what she wants. Besides, it's better this way, isn't it? Now everyone will be there to see if Kami tries a repeat of last night. In an official match… there's nowhere to run. Everyone's eyes will be on her… if I beat her there, she's finished."

Bastion chuckled slyly. "Wanting to defeat Kami in public all of a sudden… you have a rather sadistic side to you, don't you Konami?"

"Not at all." The boy said, shrugging ever so slightly. "I don't care where we Duel. I just want it to happen."

Any further conversation was cut off as Crowler strolled into the room ten minutes late. Converse to the usual scowl mangled across the man's face, a large, cheeky smile was present, alerting many to the fact that something was wrong.

"Well now, shall we begin class?" Crowler asked politely, chilling the Slifers in the room to the bone.

He hadn't even bothered to insult the sleeping Jaden!

"So class, today we're going to be talking about _Spell_ Cards! Would anyone like to explain just what the many types of Spell Cards are? Perhaps you Bastion?" Crowler asked. "You seem to be rather chipper today!"

Bastion stood, nodding at the command and moving to answer Crowler's question.

"Of course. Of the Spell Cards currently known, there are six types. Normal Spells, Quick-Play Spells, Continuous Spells, Ritual Spells, Field Spells, and Equip Spells! Each of them care capable of carrying various Spell Speeds, such as Field Spells typically being Spell Speed One-"

"Yes, yes, that's all well and good!" Crowler cut him off. "As you said, there are six different types of Spells, capable of being used in a multitude of ways. Perhaps another one of you would be interested in explaining how to use a Field Spell? Alexis?"

"Yes." The girl said, rising from her position much to Konami's shock.

Despite having been in the same class for several days, he hadn't realized she was present at all! How was that even possible, especially considering the personalities her friends had-

"Field Spells, as Bastion said earlier, are Spell Speed One Cards mostly centered on raising or lowering the Attack or Defense stat of a certain type of monster. Of course, there are many Field Spells built for purposes beyond that. They are placed on the Field Card Zone, and there can only be one on the Field at any given time."

"Very good! I knew I could expect such an answer from an Obelisk Blue like yourself!" Crowler said gleefully. "That is correct of course. Field Spells are just one of the many ways to gain an advantage over your opponent, and you should always be cautious when you discover your foe has one in play! Now then, moving on from that, would anyone like to explain the point of a Ritual Card to me?"

The rest of the class went by in a blur, and before Konami knew what had happened, the bell had rung.

Rising from his seat, he watched as Kami made her way toward Crowler's desk, accompanied by her ever growing posse. He shook his head at the scene. Evidently Kami really had been forced to approach Crowler, not that Konami cared either way. At any rate, he'd likely find out about it later on… There was no point in joining them down there. Besides, he had his own things to deal with, namely… the long-haired Obelisk making to leave the room.

"Oh, it's you!" Alexis exclaimed, looking mildly surprised at Konami's appearance. "It's been a while since we last spoke. Have you been fitting in well so far?"

"As well as I can be." Konami shrugged. "I was surprised. I didn't think you took this class, Alexis."

The girl smiled. "Oh, that's only because I've been busy with a few other things the past few days. The absences were approved by the Chancellor of course, so I didn't get in any trouble with the Professor…."

"He doesn't seem like the type who'd punish an Obelisk Blue like yourself anyway." Konami noted with mild distaste.

"That's true." Alexis sighed. "He may know his stuff, but Professor Crowler isn't exactly one for modesty. Still, it's a bit strange seeing him this happy. It makes me wonder if there's something going on we don't know about."

Konami couldn't help but agree. Though he had only been a student there for a few days, one of the things he'd noticed was that Crowler almost never seemed that happy, unless it involved humiliating Jaden in some form or fashion. Was he up to something…?

"Anyway, I should probably get going." Alexis said, breaking Konami from his thoughts. "I told Mindy and Jasmine I'd try out their new shampoo today. Those two… so materialistic…." She sighed, shaking her head at the thought. "Anyway, if I'm going to escape their ranting I should probably start heading over. Still, it was good seeing you."

"Same."

Konami nodded politely as Alexis brushed past him, and he watched as she finally left the class with soft, gentle steps. Bastion, of course, was never one to waste the moment.

"So it's true. You _are_ friends with the Queen of Obelisk Blue."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say friends." Konami corrected. "Like I said before, she simply showed me around campus. At most, we're probably more on the lines of friendly acquaintances."

"Ah, but the word friendly implies some degree of friendship does it not? Strange, only a few days here and women are already gathering around you… should I style myself in a similar fashion then…?" Bastion questioned himself.

"Tch! Moron! We all know the only reason he's getting any is because of that Slacker conning his way into the Girls' Dorm!" Chazz's dominant voice rang throughout the room. "Either way, one thing's certain! Your little chit-chats with Alexis are gonna have to stop! She's too good to be seen with a Slifer like you!"

"Princeton?!" Bastion asked in surprise. "But didn't you already leave the room-?"

"Shut it nerd!" Chazz scowled, folding his arms in an elitist manner before turning to Konami. "You may have thought you had it easy, but I overheard the Chancellor earlier. Looks like your stay in the Girls' Dorm is just about up, isn't it scum?"

Konami nodded. "That's right. My room in the Slifer Dorm is just about complete. As such, there won't be a reason for me to stay there any longer."

"Heh, so my info was right then!" Chazz grinned. "Then it looks like the Chazz will finally have the Girls' Dorm all to himself!"

"All to yourself-?" Bastion sighed. "Don't tell me you _still_ plan on making a mess out of your apartment? You don't really think that will get you in the Girls' Dorm do you?"

"Shut it B_ass_tion! What would you know about planning?!" Chazz scowled. "With this scum out the building they'll have an empty room! I'll just have to do my best to prove that it's me who should get it, and not some weird creep!"

"The fact you're still talking about this pretty much cements you as the "weird creeper", Chazz." Konami pointed out, much to the Obelisk's rage.

"Don't get personal with me, scum!" Chazz snapped, shoving Konami backward. "Nothing can stop the Chazz once he puts his mind to something! I'll get into that Girls' Dorm, you'll see!"

He sped away without another word, leaving Konami to wonder just why he had shown up in the first place.

"Really, the students here can be so odd at times." Bastion agreed.

Silently agreeing, Konami accompanied Bastion out the classroom.

"Still," Bastion continued quietly as they walked through the halls. "I am rather curious about what game that Wisteria is playing. What does she hope to gain by playing both sides like this?"

"Not sure. Either way, it works in my favor." Konami shrugged. "It may look like she's saving Kami face, but in reality she's merely putting her in the spotlight. An official match that no one can object or postpone… her skills as a Duelist will truly be put to the test."

"Assuming Crowler agrees to it anyway." Bastion mused.

"Passing up the chance to show Obelisk superiority? Never." Konami murmured. "Especially not when the opponent is a mere Slifer Red like me."

"Mere?" Bastion asked incredulously. "I was under the impression that he still saw you as a Ra Yellow."

"After the card designing class, I can't be sure." Konami replied. "Did you see his face when he read it? Konami Code Dragon… he was pretty shocked."

"I agree. However, a simple mistake does not make hate." Bastion tried. "Oh, I like that one. I think I'll keep it."

Konami shook his head, disagreeing with Bastion's words. "Isn't the Jaden/Crowler rivalry only possible because Jaden mistakenly arrived late for his Entrance Exam? If he'd shown up on time, Crowler would have never faced him, and as a result… Crowler wouldn't be breathing down his neck so often. A single mistake does not make hate…? Sounds flawed."

"Mm… you have a point." Bastion winced in defeat. "In that case…!"

**-GX-**

**Konami listened to more of Bastion's ill-worded phrases on the way out, missing the foam-mouthed Syrus walking giddily behind them. They parted at the gate, both of them returning to their own dorm…**

**-GX-**

Night came swift to the Obelisk Blue Girls' Dorm, and with it, rain.

Contrary to the other Slifers in the Academy, Konami had spent much of the rainy evening doing homework, resulting in the bored, weary expression that now covered his face.

"I wish something would happen…" he murmured to himself quietly.

The lights flickered, but only for a moment.

"Strange…"

"It is often said that you should be careful what you wish for." the old, familiar voice of the disabled man rang through the room. "We meet again."

"You show up a lot." Konami noted, glaring at the man slightly. "Why here…?"

"That is the question, is it not?" the old man smiled. "You seem… fuller, than when we first met. Is it an effect of your bonds with others…? Allies and enemies… they all build our character in such strange ways… In that regard, Friendship is a fickle thing, no?"

"With that attitude I can't imagine you have many yourself." Konami replied.

"Alas, you speak the truth." the old man laughed. "All my friends are long dead. Victims to the sands of time. I too, feel its bitter wind. It would seem I have little time remaining. I must use what I have left wisely."

Konami said nothing. Once again, the atmosphere surrounding the man was incredibly tense. Still, he was growing used to it. That feeling of oppression… as if gravity itself were weighing him down.

"Did you know…?" the old man spoke suddenly, breaking Konami's thoughts, "This island was built for more than housing an Academy of Dueling."

"Really…? I hadn't realized." Konami said. "Does it have anything to do with Shadow Duels?"

"Shadow Duels…?" the old man chuckled. "I see you have been spending time with Yuma."

Konami didn't miss the fact that he had avoided the question. Sighing, he turned away, glancing out the window into the rain. It seemed that once again, his thoughts would be ignored.

"A labyrinth of cards lies dormant beneath us." The old man answered.

Konami blinked in surprise.

"Twisting and turning… there are so many paths that even I still get lost from time to time." The man laughed. "It's a wonder it was able to be built at all. Even so, the mysteries it holds border on infinite. Perhaps the secret to that card of yours lies below as well…?"

"What do you mean? Are you saying that there's a maze beneath the school?" Konami asked.

The man smiled mysteriously. It seemed as though he was done answering Konami's questions.

"I wonder why I tell you such things. Perhaps it is because you interest me…? Or maybe… it is your striking similarity to dear Yuma? Regardless, it is a mystery of my own to uncover."

The pair settled into silence, and slowly, the old man too glanced out the window, as if seeing something more than the stormy sky.

"It seems the island will be rich with Duel Energy tonight. I wonder… will you partake in one of the Games…? I know for a fact that your Slifer Associate shall. Does your path run parallel to his, or are you destined to cross blades in the heat of passion?"

Konami frowned. It seemed this old man knew something about what was going to happen. Slifer Associate? Whom did he mean? Syrus and Chumley…? Or perhaps Jaden himself? The boy did claim to have seen Yata-Garasu….

"I should be going. There is still someone else I must visit tonight. Has she taught you much in this time…?"

"No." Konami answered, knowing the man referred to Yuma. "Only a mention of Duel Spirits."

"Duel Spirits…?" the old man's eyes gleamed. "How interesting. Well then, until next time…"

He wheeled himself around, and in another flicker of lights, vanished from Konami's room.

"…he's gone." Konami sighed.

Frowning, he turned his head back to the window. How was it possible for the man to appear and disappear so easily? Was he truly making use of mysterious pathways that ran beneath the Academy? It would certainly explain his random appearances, Konami thought. Still, the man's words had some effect on the boy's psyche. If Konami hadn't been certain before he was now. Something was happening on the island, and whatever it was, it was something big.

_CRASH_

In a timed sync with a roar of thunder, the glass window to Konami's room burst open, and a young man clad in red came tumbling into the room. Konami quickly stepped away, making to grab his Duel Disk as the only viable weapon available.

"Yikes! Talk about a rough landing! I wonder if they're going to make me pay for that."

The voice gave Konami pause. It was fiery, energetic. It was far too reminiscent of someone Konami had recently become acquainted with.

"Jaden?" Konami asked, lowering his Duel Disk as he gazed upon the boy.

"Whoa! Konami?!" the boy cried out in surprise. "Talk about a lucky break! Man, you have no idea what I had to go through to get in here!"

"…" Konami exhaled. It seemed the intruder wasn't someone with any ill intent. At least not toward him. Loosening his stance ever so slightly, Konami made to question the boy. "…you broke my window, and it's raining."

"Ah… yeah…" Jaden laughed. "Sorry about that! But it was an emergency! If I hadn't gotten inside just now, I was positive that Professor Crowler was gonna ring my neck!"

"Crowler? He's trying to murder you?" Konami questioned.

It was true the man had seemed unusually happy that morning… but murder? Assault? It was a lot to take in.

"Huh? Nah, he's just trying to get me expelled. Nothing out of the usual though." Jaden grinned. "Still, the fact he was waiting for me out here in the Girls' Dorm is kinda weird huh?"

"Which brings me to ask, just what are _you_ doing here, Jaden?" Konami asked. "This isn't exactly a place for you to be running around."

"Heh, you caught me huh? But it's not my fault, promise!" Jaden winced. "Syrus was kidnapped by one of the girls here! They said if I don't show up to save him, they'll hand him over to the Chancellor and have him expelled for peeking on the women's bath!"

"Syrus is here as well…?" Konami asked. "That's strange. I didn't hear any shouting…"

"You haven't? Guess they knew better than to draw any attention…" Jaden frowned.

Konami nodded, tilting his head toward Jaden seriously. "So what are you gonna do?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna go rescue him!" Jaden shouted. "I may be a Duel Freak, but I know well enough to know that Syrus wouldn't do anything wrong without a good reason! Besides, he's my friend! No turning back from that!"

"Because he's your friend huh…?" Konami nodded. "Alright. I'll help. I know the area better than you do anyway."

"Huh? Really? Sweet! I knew crashing through that window was the right thing to do!" Jaden grinned. "Now all we have to do is find Alexis-"

That made Konami start. It was Alexis who had kidnapped Syrus? Strange, even if the boy had been peeking, she didn't seem like the type to get him in that much trouble for it… did Mindy and Jasmine put her up to it? It was a worrying prospect…

"Hey, you alright there pal? You zoned out for a minute!"

Konami shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think of such things.

"I'm fine." he said, adjusting his cap. "Alexis's room though… I don't know where it is."

"Heh, guess that knowledge of yours won't be of much help after all then huh?" Jaden asked weakly.

"No. I still know the building layout. At least more than most." Konami said confidently. "Did she tell you were to meet?"

"Uh… the side entrance to the Back Gate…?" Jaden asked, recalling the information from his head. "Hey, I guess that means we don't need to go to her room after all huh?!"

"Great." Konami said blankly. If Jaden knew that was where they needed to go in the first place then why didn't he say anything?! Konami sighed, shaking his head. Syrus was right. Jaden must've had Dueling on the brain.

Quickly covering the open window with his bed sheets to prevent rainwater from ruining his things, Konami turned and led Jaden to the door. The path they walked was wrought with danger and fear. If even a single girl saw them, it could end with the vilest of Game Overs.

Konami's eyes steeled.

No regrets.

This was the only path.

Konami swung the door open, and the mission began.

* * *

**-Chapter Six-**

* * *

**END**


	7. Konami X Kami

Together, Konami and Jaden raced through the dorm. A clear destination was now in their mind, and knowing that defeat was but a mere sighting away, they made to move with the upmost haste. Despite that, the tense feeling and exhilaration of breaking the rules was thrilling to Konami, even more so than fleeing from the Chairwoman back in the Abandoned Dorm. He didn't quite understand why it was he felt that way. In all honesty, it was Jaden who was breaking the rules. Konami was allowed in the Girls' Dorm to a reasonable extent, and while it was true that that privilege did not extend to his Kuriboh-haired associate, Konami could not help but feel energized at his presence. Was it something that all of Jaden's associate's felt upon his arrival, or only him? Konami didn't know. What he did know however, was that they were close.

The side entrance leading to the Back Gate was an area well-known to those staying within the Girls' Dorm, as it was one of the few locations were one could grab an easy drink, for a price. Vending Machines weren't common on the island, and while it was true that meant less things for students to spend money on, it left little variety as for what when down their throat. It was why the few Vending Machines they _did_ have were so popular.

Dr. Pegasus, Red Eyes Cola, even Dark Magic Breeze were but a few of the famous Duel Monster-based drinks available for purchasing. All for the price of five measly DP. It was a dream come true, but alas, only those in Obelisk Blue carried such a privilege. Well, they and Konami. And so, the moment they burst into the first floor hallway, Konami scowled.

"We have to be careful here." He said immediately, recognizing the location from his earlier ventures throughout the dorm. "The girls frequent this area a lot."

"What? Really? Looks pretty deserted to me." Jaden said. "But I guess you'd know best. You live here after all!"

"Not for long, if you keep making so much noise." Konami said.

"Yikes! Talk about harsh." Jaden chattered. "I can't tell if you were joking or not Konami! Mind giving me a heads-up on the attitude? Must be all that time you've spent hanging with Bastion recently!"

"I'm just telling you like it is." Came Konami's reply. "Any number of people are likely to show up here. As a result… it's probable that we'll be caught within the next two minutes."

"Well then we'll just have to make it through here in the next two minutes then won't we?" Jaden countered. "Besides, it doesn't look that bad! Just a few steps this way and-!"

Konami's arm suddenly pulled him back from an intersection, dragging him into a corner to hide as a pair of girls passed by.

"As if that Slifer will ever have a chance at defeating me! Who does he think he is, escaping from the Chairwoman like that?! And then having the nerve to appear before me the very next day!"

"Quite. It must be ever so hard for you, dealing with the little people."

Konami held his breath tight. Wisteria and Kami. There was no telling what those two would do if they caught wind of them. He remained silent for several moments, holding Jaden's mouth shut while waiting for them to pass. The time tolled by. One second. Two seconds. The pair seemed to move so slowly through the hallway. It made Konami wonder if they were doing it intentionally, if they had in fact seen Jaden and were simply dragging out the inevitable.

Fortunately, that seemed to have not been the case.

Still chattering, the pair passed by, ignorant to the Slifer presence beside them. As their backs disappeared around a corner, Konami released Jaden, and the pair exhaled far more loudly than they'd have liked to admit.

"Yeesh! That was a close one, eh pal?" Jaden grinned cheekily.

Konami glared.

"Two." Konami said after a moment, rising from his position to dust off his uniform. "One for the window, and two for those two. That's two you owe me, Jaden."

"You're keeping track? Guess I'll have to walk carefully around you after all partner!" Jaden laughed. "After all, a hero can never go into debt! I'll definitely pay you back for all your help… maybe you can have a Golden Eggwich or two?"

Konami made to reply, before remembering just where they were and shaking his head. "That's enough talking. Let's save Syrus."

Jaden nodded in agreement, and together they stepped forth anew, ignorant to the pale gaze behind them. Nonetheless, they continued.

"We're almost there." Konami said, guiding Jaden toward the last hallway. "After this, it's just a short run outside and the Back Gate will be in plain sight."

"Sweet! In that case it'll be fine if we speed things up a little right?" Jaden asked, quickening his pace. "The sooner we get there the faster I can beat Alexis and get Syrus back!"

"You sure you can win?" Konami asked. "She's an Obelisk Blue after all."

"Heh, what's this? Don't tell me you buy into that color-based nonsense too!" Jaden grinned. "The Dorm you're in has nothing to do with how good of a Duelist you are! You proved that the day you beat Bastion, remember?"

"Of course." Konami said. "But Alexis isn't like most Obelisk Blues. She's bound to be called the Queen for a reason, and I don't think it's her looks." he amended in his mind that they may have had _something_ to do with it, but he was certain that wasn't the whole story.

"You may be right, but there's no telling what'll happen until I get out there and fight!" Jaden declared. "Unless you plan on doing the dueling this time around too?"

"This is your fight." Konami said. "There's no point if you don't do it yourself."

"Heh, you said something similar right before you dueled Bastion." Jaden remembered. "That your motto then? Not bad, but it still can't beat my Get Your Game On!"

"Quite. I do believe that I've never heard a more hideous phrase in my entire life. How typical for it to have been spoken by a Slifer, and one invading the Girls' Dorm no less. How utterly atrocious."

The two boys widened their eyes in shock at the voice. Turning, they quickly put up their guards, coming face-to-face with the worst person imaginable given their situation.

It was Kami.

"_Ho…? What a surprise. I seem to have stumbled onto something interesting."_

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Seven**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

The blue-haired Obelisk smirked, her arms folded condescendingly as she gazed down upon the two Slifer Slackers. Curling her lip upward in a nasty sneer, she prepared to speak.

"What on earth do we have here? A pair of Slifers sniffing around where they don't belong? Why on earth am I not surprised?"

Konami grimaced, seeing the situation for what it was. A Game Over. How in the world had they been caught by Kami? Had she seen them after all and simply pretended not to? No, that didn't fit with her personality. What was it then? Why had she suddenly felt the need to turn around…? Konami shook his head with a scowl. He was getting ahead of himself. It didn't matter how Kami found out they were there, not at that moment. What _did_ matter was figuring out how they were going to get out of the situation in one piece.

"How nice to see you, Kami." He said instead, taunting the woman. "I missed you at the Abandoned Dorm. Too scared of the ghosts to show, or was it the fear of a half-decent opponent that drove you to setting those guards on us?"

"Hahi?!" Kami breathed, taking a step back in surprise. "The nerve of you-! I feel no fear for Slifer Scum such as you! But how did you escape?! I was certain I had the area locked down prior to calling security-!" She cut herself off, realizing she'd just confessed to the "crime" she was accused of committing.

"Trade secret." Konami answered regardless, noting the lack of twin-tails in the area.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jaden asked. "You're telling me the Duel didn't just get postponed so you'd have an audience?!"

"Of course not." Konami said. "Kami here thought it'd be a good idea to ambush me with security. Being in the Abandoned Dorm warrants an immediate expulsion after all. A shame she didn't double check the windows. They made it far too easy to leave."

"Ngh..! So that's how-! I should have known! But, whether you escaped the Abandoned Dorm or not, it doesn't change the fact that I have you here and now! Why, this might be an even better scandal than catching you at the Dorm! A Slifer and his crony peeping on the women's baths…. Once the Chancellor hears about this, neither of you will be able to set foot on any Duel Academy ever again!"

"Hmph, that may be so," Konami agreed, "but if you think I'm going to sit here and let you get us in trouble you have another thing coming."

He raised his Duel Disk.

"Oh wow! You're going to Duel her aren't you?!" Jaden grinned. "Payback for the Abandoned Dorm huh?"

"That's right, so you can go ahead and get out of here. Syrus is waiting, after all." Konami said, not taking his eyes off of Kami.

"Huh? Oh, right! I'll be going on ahead then! You sure you'll be fine on your own?" Jaden asked.

"It doesn't matter. Alexis is waiting on you." Konami said firmly.

"…Heh, alright, I got it." Jaden grinned. "I'll leave this to you then buddy!"

Without another word he turned and sped down the hallway, prompting Kami to attempt to give chase.

"Now hold on one moment here-!"

"No." Konami said immediately, blocking her path. "I already said it didn't I? That you and I are going to Duel to determine our fate."

"Tsk…!" Kami scowled, taking a step back. "Duel you? Why should I? I could have you expelled right now with a single phone call!"

"You could…" Konami agreed, "but are you sure that's for the best?"

"What do you mean?! Of course it is! I'd be ridding the school of two drop-outs! I'll be glorified!"

"Or ridiculed." Konami interrupted. "Think about it Kami. The whole school is expecting a public Duel between the two of us. If they got wind of the fact that you had me expelled just before it could happen, what do you think might happen?"

"…!" Kami inhaled, realizing what Konami was trying to say.

"Heh, it seems like you understand." Konami smirked. "The Obelisk Blues may adore you now, but if they found out you had to get rid of a "Failure Duelist" like me through dishonest means, they might not react to you so well. Who knows, they might even start to see you… as a fraud."

"!?" Kami reeled back in rage. "I am no fraud!"

"Then prove it. You and me. Right here, right now." A small smirk came across Konami's features. "Unless you're scared. Then by all means, go ahead and tattle."

"Mm!" Kami scowled, releasing the strap to her own Duel Disk and raising it forcefully. "That's enough! I shall not stand here and be ridiculed by the likes of you any further! I'll put in your place here and now, and then I'll go on to expel you anyway! If I record this Duel with my Duel Disk, then no one can complain when they say I haven't _beaten_ you, Slacker!"

"Bring it on." Konami repeated, subtly repeating the same motion Kami had used to record the Duel as well. "Just try not to cry at the outcome."

**DUEL**

**KONAMI VS KAMI**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**KAMI – 4000 LP**

"Hmph! The only one who will be crying here is you, once I'm through with you!" Kami snapped, "I'm going first now! Draw!"

**TURN ONE – KAMI**

"Well, they do say ladies should go first…" Konami mused to himself quietly.

"That's right, and I'm about to show you just how much of a lady I am with this!" Kami exclaimed, holding a green card forward. "The Field Spell A Legendary Ocean! You heard about today in class, didn't you? Field Spells, cards capable of bringing an immediate advantage to one's side of the Field! Well, I'll be using this advantage to reduce the Level of all WATER monsters in our hands and on the Field by One, and increase their Attack and Defense Points by Two-Hundred as well!"

As Kami slapped the card down on her Duel Disk, Konami sensed an immediate change in the world around them. The halls and ceiling above took on a rather reflective quality, and the floor vanished into a sea of sand. It didn't take Konami long to realize where they now stood. Through the reflective lenses of the building he could see vast buildings of stone and sand, buried deep beneath the ocean.

"Atlantis…?" he questioned, glancing back at his smirking opponent stoically. "Legendary, indeed."

"That's right, and even you must know what comes with such a Legendary City." Kami breathed, grabbing another card from her hand. "This! The monster card Warrior of Atlantis!" She threw the card on her Duel Disk face-up, prompting a blue, fish-like warrior to appear before her in a torrent of seawater.

"Hragh!" it cried out, flexing its muscles firmly as it stood watch over its master's Life Points.

Warrior of Atlantis – (WATER/Aqua) – LV3 – (2100/1400)

"A warrior for a queen huh…? You have a mighty high impression of yourself." Konami noted.

"Shut it slacker!" Kami scowled. "Since you obviously don't have anything that can defeat my powered-up warrior, I'll end my Turn here, if only to give you a fighting chance!"

"That's fine by me." Konami said. "If you don't have what it takes to go all the way, then I'll just have to do it for you. My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"Humph, well? I'm waiting!" Kami snapped. "You really _don't_ have anything to defeat my Warrior do you?!"

"Maybe not." Konami agreed, glancing at his hand sparingly. "However, I do have this, Axe Dragonute, appear now!"

A crackling sphere of darkness emerged upon the playing field as Konami placed the card down, twin wings of black and white spreading forth to reveal a draconic warrior wielding a mighty axe of similar colors. It slammed its clawed feet down upon the sea floor before releasing a horrifying roar.

Axe Dragonute – (DARK/Dragon) – LV4 – (2000/1200)

"Ha! So I was right!" Kami smirked condescendingly. "Your Axe Dragonute only has Two-Thousand Attack Points! It's not strong enough to take my Warrior of Atlantis! Your Deck's a farce!"

"We'll see about that!" Konami grimaced, not caring at all for anyone who insulted his Deck. "I'll place one card face-down, and end my Turn!"

Kami cackled, shaking her head in disbelief. "I simply can't believe that Duel Academy would accept someone so ignorant. Very well, I shall teach you the error of your ways here! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KAMI**

"Since I already have a Warrior on the Field, I feel it's about time I summoned the next of my gallant forces!" Kami said. "Take a look at my elegant Armed Sea Hunter now, in Attack Position!"

Konami shielded his eyes as another whirlpool of water swirled about on the Field, resulting in yet another monster taking its place on Kami's side. Armed with a weapon of sea-like design, the fish-like monster grunted, before folding its arms in stoically.

Armed Sea Hunter – (WATER/Sea Serpent) – LV3 – (2000/600)

"Now then, it's time for that battle to begin!" Kami shouted hauntingly. "I hope you're prepared for a world of pain, Slifer! Warrior of Atlantis, get rid of that worthless Axe Dragonute of his!"

The blue monster harrumphed obediently, crouching down before leaping out toward Konami's Dragon.

"So foolish… you'd attack without knowing what my face-downs are?" Konami questioned. "And you're an Obelisk…? No. I won't allow it. My Trap Card activates!"

He threw his hand outward, the familiar purple-colored card rising from the ground toward a stunned Kami.

"What?!"

"You're about to get a little taste of my Axe Dragonute's Burst Breath." Konami explained. "Now, by Tributing him, I can destroy all face-up monsters on the Field who have less or equal Defense Points as he does Attack Points! And since neither of your monsters carries a weighty Two-Thousand Defense or more… they're finished! Come now, Axe Dragonute! Risk it all with your Sacrificial Flame! Axe Hammer! Burst Breath!"

Its eyes shining red at the command, Axe Dragonute suddenly reeled back, releasing a hulking roar that cut of Warrior of Atlantis' assault. Flapping its wings to take to the sky, the dragon opened its jaws steadily, a glowing flame of infernal hellfire burning within. It released it all in a single devastating blow that covered the entire Field.

"No!" Kami roared, shielding her eyes from the blinding light that burst from the monster's lips.

The sound of shattering monsters filled the air, and through the scorching landscape, Konami noticed Kami glaring at him intensely.

"You… you…! Slifer Slacker! You dare defile my monsters?!" she sputtered, her eyes narrowed in absolute rage. "I'll make you pay for that! But for now…! I'll have to end my Turn!"

"Then it's my move yet again." Konami noted, curling his fingers inward to grab his next card. "Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"Outside of that Legendary Ocean, your Field is defenseless!" Konami said. "Which means… I can attack you directly! Come to the Field now, Lord of D.!"

Yet another crackling aura of darkness descended upon the landscape, and with rambunctious yell Konami's signature spellcaster took to the Field.

Lord of D. – (DARK/Spellcaster) – LV4 – (1200/1100)

"Now, let's see how good your defense is when you don't have any monsters protecting you!" Konami shouted. "Lord of D. attack Kami directly!"

The armored magic-user nodded, surging forward through the Legendary Ocean as a black flame of power engulfed its right hand. In a single fluid motion, it launched its fist forward, punching Kami in the stomach, or at least appearing to.

"Ngh..!" Kami hissed, her eyes bulging maniacally as her body keeled over upon impact. "I was damaged… by this scum…?!"

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**KAMI – 2800 LP**

"Looks like you're not so high above me after all, is it?" Konami asked. "I'll end my Turn."

"Graaagh…! Rgh..! I'll blow you away…!" Kami hissed. "In a single Turn! My move, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KAMI**

"I'm summoning a monster!" Kami declared. "Amphibious Bugroth MK-3!"

From the ceiling, a mechanical dive unit suddenly appeared, its red armor giving it the appearance of some kind of fish-insect hybrid. With a mechanized cry it crashed down upon the floor, spinning around rapidly as its thrusters came to a slow stop.

Amphibious Bugroth MK-3 – (WATER/Machine) – LV3 – (1700/1500)

"Hm, so you recovered in an instant…" Konami mused.

"And that's not all I'll be doing, because I have a Spell! Double Attack!" Kami declared. "Now, I can discard one monster from my Hand to select one monster on my side of the Field! Then, that monster can attack twice this Turn!"

"What's that…?" Konami winced.

"Hmph, I won't say it again!" Kami declared, sending a Levia-Dragon Daedalus to the Graveyard to grant her Bugroth a second attack."

"A Level Seven Monster… Six due to the Field's effect…" Konami mused. "Not good!"

"And it's about to get worse!" Kami smirked, "Because my Bugroth has an effect! So long as Umi is face-up on the Field, this creature can attack you directly, regardless of whether or not you have monsters on the Field!" Kami snapped.

"What? Hate it break it to you then, but that effect is worthless." Konami declared. "You don't have an Umi on the Field! The only other card you even control right now, is your Legendary Ocean!"

"Hmph, and this is why you're nothing but a Slifer Slacker!" Kami smirked. "Since you obviously don't know, allow me to explain it to you. See, as long as my Legendary Ocean is face-up on the Field, its name can also be treated as Umi, another Field Spell that assists WATER-type monsters!"

"Is that true?!" Konami asked, surprised.

"Of course it is! What point would there be in claiming otherwise?!" Kami declared angrily, swooping her hand out forcefully. "Now then, it's time to pay you back for that humiliation! Go Amphibious Bugroth! Use your effect to attack that slacker directly!"

Nodding obediently, the machine monster activated its thruster, the sudden push allowing it to completely bypass Lord of D. on its way toward Konami. Its yellow cannons suddenly rose upward, and in a single sharp motion, it fired.

"Gragh!" Konami cried out, the machine's gunfire rapidly crashing down upon his person.

**KONAMI – 2300 LP**

**KAMI – 2800 LP**

"Had enough yet?" Kami questioned as her machine returned to her side of the Field, a victorious look in her eyes.

"No way… all you did was even the odds a little." Konami retorted. "There's no way I'll give up after a small attack like that."

"Small attack…? Tsk. It seems I'll have to bring you even more pain then. It's time my Bugroth used its second Attack!"

"Ngh..!" Konami grimaced, expecting another direct attack.

"Go, let's destroy him nice and slow Bugroth! Annihilate that Lord of D, and show him just how different our skills really are!" Kami roared.

"Gah…!" Konami winced, shielding his eyes as gunfire rained down upon his spellcaster.

Lord of D. cried out in pain as its body was riddled with blows, and it fell backward, vanishing into golden shards as Kami began to laugh.

**KONAMI – 1800 LP**

**KAMI – 2800 LP**

"Now we're not so even are we?" Kami asked, gloating down at Konami. "Your Field is Defenseless, and your Life Points a thousand below my own! It seems this game is about to come to a close. My Turn ends!"

"_She sure is cocky. But… it doesn't seem like she plans to rely on much else than those annoying effect monsters and her Legendary Ocean…"_ Konami thought. _"Well then, in that case…"_ "It's my move!" he shouted, "Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

He glanced at his hand subtly. All green and one purple. Nothing he could summon that move.

"Too many Spells huh…? I'll have to rework this again…" Konami mumbled to himself.

"Stop idling!" Kami snapped. "Or are you simply trying to say that you give up?!"

"Right. I should stay focused on the Duel." Konami said, shaking his head. "That's not a word in my vocabulary, nor is it one I'd ever use with you."

"Hah?!" Kami asked incredulously.

"I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn."

"…" Kami said nothing, a small smile coming on her face.

"…?" Konami's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing." Kami smirked. "I just hadn't expected you to actually give in so easily. But, if that's what you want… then I'll end this Duel as swiftly as you'll be expelled once I win! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KAMI**

"I may not have a Double Attack to use…" Kami smirked, "but I do have a monster to summon! Behold, the might of my Golden Flying Fish!"

A shining light engulfed the Legendary Ocean, and from the sky, a winged fish of gray and white descended. Flapping its fins ever so elegantly, it gazed down upon the Field almost pityingly, knowing the end was near.

Golden Flying Fish – (LIGHT/Fish) – LV4 – (1700/1000)

"With this, I have more than power to end you!" Kami called out. "Are you prepared for the end? This is your last chance to beg for forgiveness!"

Konami closed his eyes. "I don't need it. But go on, if that's what you want. It won't bring you anything but despair."

"Hmph. We'll see about that." Kami whispered to herself, her eyes narrowed angrily. "Fine then! If you won't repent, then this is the end! Bugroth, Flying Fish! It's time to do as your master commands! Attack that slacker directly, and wipe out the last of his worthless Life Points!"

The monsters both obeyed the command, gearing up for one final assault on Konami's person. Turning and firing off in separate directions, the two fish-like monsters zigzagged toward the Slifer, intent on dealing the ending blow.

"This is the end!"

"You're right, it is! Mirror Force!" Konami shouted, thrusting his hand to the sky victoriously.

His Trap Card responded in kind, a magical barrier of the upmost power appearing around Konami in the final hour. Bugroth and the Flying Fish both collided with its invisible force, their own abilities not capable of piercing through the reflective fortress.

"What?! Impossible! How does a Slifer like you have that card?!" Kami breathed, her eyes wide in shock.

"I found it in a Gold Series." Konami answered truthfully. "And now, its ability activates! When your monster declares an attack, this card will destroy all Attack Position monsters you control! In other words, your Fish are toast, Kami!"

The invisible barrier suddenly shined bright, pushing back against the attacking forces. With a loud shriek, its power increased tenfold, obliterating the two monsters Kami had dared set upon it.

"My monsters?! Not again?!" Kami shouted.

"I told you before… you shouldn't underestimate my face-down cards." Konami explained easily.

"Ngh..!" Kami glared. "That's enough out of you! There must be something…?"

"You already summoned a monster this Turn." Konami declared. "So unless you have a Spell or Trap you want to play… I'm going."

Kami clenched her hand forcefully, glaring at Konami further.

"My Turn then. Draw!"

**TURN SIX – KONAMI**

"Well, it seems the final turn is upon us after all." Konami said, stunning Kami greatly.

"What…? What did you say to me?!"

"Need I repeat myself? You're going to lose this Turn, and it's all thanks to this card," Konami raised the monster he just drew, "Masked Dragon, in Attack Position!"

In a flash of fire the rocky, red bellied beast splashed onto the Field, flapping its wings dangerously about.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"You're… joking, aren't you?" Kami questioned. "That monster has only Fourteen-Hundred Attack Points! It can't deliver Twenty-Eight Hundred to me in one Turn!"

"Oh yes it can," Konami disagreed, "because I'll be using its presence to activate a few Spell cards!"

He revealed his hand, composed fully of Dragon-based Spells.

"What?!"

"The first I'll activate is this!" Konami declared, grabbing the first card from his hand, "Stamping Destruction!"

He revealed the green card, showing off the picture of a dragon smashing its foot down upon the earth.

"This card can only be used when I control a Dragon-Type monster on the Field! It allows me to destroy a single Spell or Trap, and then inflict Five-Hundred Points of damage to the card's controller! Since the only Spell on the Field right now is your Legendary Ocean… I'm sure you know what's about to happen, right?" Konami asked.

"…! No…" Kami breathed.

"Oh yes! Masked Dragon, do your thing! Tear this ocean apart with your red-hot rage!"

The dragon reared back on its hind feet at the order, opening its masked jaws to roar angrily at the world around it. Torrents of flames burst from the earth at its behest, scorching the very sea itself much to Kami's chagrin and surprise.

"Ah..! My Ocean, no!"

The sandy stones and great bridges collapsed around her, and above a single falling building fell onto her person.

"Ah..!"

**KONAMI – 1800 LP**

**KAMI – 2300 LP**

"Ngh…! I still have more Life Points than you!" Kami cursed.

"Not for long, because now I'm activating my second card." Konami continued. "Dragon's Gunfire!"

He revealed the card, showing off a brown dragon firing off a single hulking wave of blazing fire.

"Another one-?!" Kami scowled.

"This card can also only be activated when I control a Dragon-Type monster. It allows me inflict Eight-Hundred Points of damage to my opponent, meaning this burning earth is about to get just a little bit hotter!"

He activated the card, throwing it down on the Field and sparking Masked Dragon's interest.

"Now, let's burn it up Masked Dragon! Karyu no Kaendan!" Konami shouted, thrusting his arm forward in synch with the dragon's rage.

In a burst of sudden excitement, the Masked Dragon roared, releasing a deadly sphere of fire from its sharp jaws. Kami yet again screamed in anguish, the growing ball easily engulfing her in its path of destruction. The scorched playing field grew ever hotter.

**KONAMI – 1800 LP**

**KAMI – 1500 LP**

"Nagh…" the girl exhaled, stumbling in confusion for several seconds before stabilizing herself. "Impossible… for a mere Slacker to do so much damage to me…!"

"It's unthinkable, right?" Konami asked, staring the girl down.

Kami's eyes narrowed. "Yes… that's right. But… even with all those Spells, I'm afraid you've fallen short, Slifer! I still have Fifteen-Hundred Life Points, which is more than your Masked Dragon can deal me with a Direct Attack! It seems your "Final Turn" is a sham!"

"No." Konami disagreed. "I still have two more cards in my hand, Kami. One of them may not be useful in a situation like this… but the other… is just what I need."

"…?!"

"Don't think you Obelisks are the only ones who know how to use Field Spells!" Konami declared, grabbing the last card he'd play in the Duel. "Because it couldn't be anything further from the truth! Where you have WATER, I have FIRE, and now, I'm about to show you just how hot my flames can get! Behold, the Field Spell Molten Destruction!"

He placed the card in the Field slot swiftly, and the halls of the Obelisk Girls' Dorm once again vanished in a sea of light. But contrary to Kami's Legendary Ocean, the world did not become a reflective garden of underwater life. Quite the opposite, in fact. The land was barren and the sky was filled with smoke and ash, and behind the two Duelists, a giant Volcano stood in the distance, its hellish lava spilling from the top of its core.

"This is…!" Kami exclaimed, staggering backward in disbelief.

"Molten Destruction." Konami repeated, glancing at the girl solemnly. "A Field Spell that increases the Attack Points of all FIRE monster on the Field by Five-Hundred Points. If you'd notice, Kami, the only monster on the Field is of the FIRE attribute… which means my Masked Dragon, now has more than enough strength to overcome your remaining Life Points!"

"Impossible…! I'm actually going to lose to this scum?!" Kami realized.

"That's right! Now, Masked Dragon, finish her off with your Blazing Inferno!" Konami roared, punching forward for the final attack.

His monster didn't need to be told twice. Rising back on its hind legs, it released one last powerful roar, gathering all its energy into its masked jaws. Then, in a burst of strength, a torrent of shining flames erupted from its lips, raining down upon Kami and inflicting the coup de grâce.

"No…! No! Aaaaah!" Kami screamed, the flames overtaking her completely in a wave of flashing light.

**KONAMI – 1800 LP**

**KAMI – 0 LP**

The Field faded away, and Konami lowered his Duel Disk, content in his victory.

"In the end… I guess my Deck was stronger than yours." He said plainly. "You lost, Kami."

"No…! This must be some kind of mistake! Some kind of fluke! There's no way I could have lost to a Slifer, of all things!" the girl whispered to herself, crouched down and kneeling on the cold floor. Angrily, she punched the ground in a mad fit, before glaring at Konami. "No! This changes nothing! I'll still have you expelled for bringing that friend of yours inside here!"

"Even in defeat you're unbearable huh…?" Konami whispered, sliding a hand into his pocket nonchalantly. "Are you really that spoiled?"

"What did you just say-?!" Kami hissed.

"At any rate," Konami interrupted her incoming rant. "You won't be telling anyone about running into Jaden and I. Not if you want to keep the outcome of this Duel a secret."

"?!" Kami glowered.

"You can go about your daily life as if this meeting never happened." Konami explained, "And hey, you'll even have your chance for revenge in our official match. But if you tell anyone about seeing us here…" he clicked the play button on his Duel Disk, and through the speakers the sounds of their Duel soon became evident.

Kami's eyes widened. "You…? You recorded it as well?! Behind my back-?!"

"As if you weren't plotting on doing something similar." Konami countered. "So, what's your answer going to be? Shall I ruin that haughty little princess act you have going on, or are you going to wait until we have an audience?"

Kami bit her tongue in silent rage. To think of a Slifer, of all people, would be blackmailing her!

"You'll regret this… Konami Kodo."

The boy smirked a little. "Oh? So you know my name after all."

"…Slacker!" Kami roared, rising to her feet. "I'll keep quiet. And I'll defeat you in our official match! But don't think for a second that I'll forget this humiliation…! You shall pay dearly for what happened here tonight! I swear it!"

Without another word, or waiting for a response Kami spun on her heel and stalked off. Konami wondered whether or not she planned on fixing the holes in her Deck. He supposed it didn't matter.

"My ace…" he mumbled softly, glancing at his Deck. "It didn't see play again…"

He quietly slid the cards back into their holster, before turning back to the door.

"Right. Jaden… I wonder if he got there alright?"

He stepped forward into the night, ignorant to the pair of red eyes that had been watching the entire time.

"_Finally… a Slifer who can beat Kami."_

**-GX-**

**Konami left the Dorm, intent on catching up with Jaden in the search for Syrus…**

**-GX-**

Surprisingly, by the time Konami stepped outside the rain had cleared. While the dorm itself was still wet, the clouds had already given way to the night sky, and a gentle moon shone down upon the island. It was the perfect scene for a midnight debut, and somewhere, someone was taking full advantage of it.

A sparking light suddenly flashed out in the distance, accompanied by a fierce cyber-like shriek that drew Konami's attention. He knew that sound anywhere. After all, it was one he himself had heard just a little bit ago.

The sound of two Duel Monsters battling.

As the sound and light died down, Konami quickly scaled the hill leading towards it, only to find an intriguing sight. The lake surrounding the Girls' Dorm, carrying the weight of two boats out in the distance. Several figures stood in each, and it didn't take long for Konami to realize just who they were.

Alexis, Jasmine, and Mindy in one.

Jaden and Syrus in the other.

Despite the situation, Konami couldn't help but smile. It seemed as though Jaden had managed to find Syrus after all, though why the Slifer was now facing Alexis was rather confusing. Shouldn't he have been more focused getting out of there?

The appearance of a green and red beast and blue-clad skater broke through his thoughts.

"A Duel…?" Konami murmured aloud, drawing closer to the shoreline until he could hear the pair's voices.

"…_What?"_ Jaden asked, leaning back in his boat in surprise. "How did she survive my Wingman's Attack?"

"Simple," Alexis replied, appearing as composed as ever as she spoke. "Cyber Blader's special ability makes it so she can't be destroyed by an opponent with only one monster."

Jaden stepped forward in shock. "But then, that would mean that…!"

"…neither of us lose any Life Points!" Alexis finished with a grin.

Beneath his cap, Konami's brow raised. So the pair _were_ having a Duel. He supposed that would explain the appearance of the two Duel Monsters. Moving even closer to the shoreline, he made to watch quietly, ignorant to the presence of another unnoticed guest.

"Well I guess you got me." Jaden sighed, clenching his fist heroically.

"Oh when I get you Jaden, believe me, you'll know it." Alexis retorted, drawing her next card. Her smile grew. "Like right now for example."

Slowly, she turned the card she'd drawn around, revealing what it was to Jaden and Syrus.

I equip my Spell, Fusion Weapon to Cyber Blader!"

In a gleam of light, Alexis' monster sudden grew a bulging red weapon on its arm, prompting Jaden and Syrus to move back in shock.

Cyber Blader – (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) – LV7 – (3600/2300)

"Uh oh… I think you might wanna brace yourself for this one Sy ol' buddy!" Jaden grinned, far too invested in the Duel to worry about such things.

"Go Blader! Attack the Flame Wingman with Trident Shock!" Alexis declared, earning a subtle nod from her warrior as it aimed the Fusion Weapon towards her opponent.

Green lightning sparked from the weapon's tip at the command, and in a roar of thunder, Flame Wingman exploded, along with several hundred of Jaden's remaining Life Points.

"Raaagh! Agh…" Jaden winced, shielding his eyes from the resulting smoke cloud that swept throughout the area.

**ALEXIS – 2400 LP **

**JADEN – 200 LP**

"Uh oh," Alexis teased, standing elegantly on her boat before Jasmine and Mindy. "Your Life Points are looking pretty low. Hope you didn't unpack your bags yet."

"Yeah because if you lose you're both getting expelled!" Mindy reminded in a sing-song voice.

Syrus clenched his fist haplessly. "What?! We are?!"

"That's not gonna happen Sy." Jaden said quickly, giving a reassuring glance to his unknowing sidekick. "Promise."

"Hm… looks like Jaden's in a tough spot." Konami mused, glancing at the Fields from afar. "Still, he's using a Field Spell too… so he probably still has a trick or two up his sleeve."

Though he didn't know it, Jaden was thinking the same thing. He knew that with the cards in his hand it'd be tough to make a comeback, but the HERO-loving Slifer was the last person to say something was impossible. His face schooled in a determined gaze, he made to draw his next card.

"Rah! Here goes!" the Slifer shouted, taking a quick look at his final card. "Perfect."

"Huh?" Alexis asked, gazing at Jaden in surprise.

"I play, the Elemental Hero Clayman! Rise up!" Jaden shouted, throwing one of his many heroes out onto the Field spectacularly.

In a flash of light, a large being of brown and tan color rose from the water, his red helmet gleaming in the night sky.

Elemental Hero Clayman – (EARTH/Warrior) – LV4 – (800/2000)

"And now I activate Monster Reborn!" Jaden grinned, showing off what Alexis knew to be his ace-in-the-hole Spell Card. "So come on back, Elemental Hero Sparkman!"

In a whirling typhoon of lightning and wind, the blue and yellow hero reappeared, fists crackling with blue light as he made to stand beside his Clay-built comrade.

Elemental Hero Sparkman – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV4 – (1600/1400)

"What difference will he make?" Alexis asked. "My Cyber Blader has way more Attack Points than him. Your Sparkman won't stand a chance!"

"He won't," Jaden agreed with a delighted grin, "but with Fusion Gate's special effect, I can fuse him _and_ Clayman together to summon someone who will! Rise, Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

Sparkman and Clayman sudden wrapped together in a whirling light, their high-speed spinning producing a typhoon of energy that hid their form. A bolt of lightning formed from their union suddenly cracked the sky above, and in the resulting flash of light, a new hero was born!

As the gold-plated behemoth descended onto the water below, the waves of the surrounding area rocked against the boat and shores. Konami too, had to move several feet back, the tide rising several inches at Jaden's summon.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant – (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) – LV6 – (2400/1500)

"Hate to break it to ya," Alexis said after recovering, "but my Cyber Blader's Attack Points are still higher at Thirty-Six Hundred!"

"Yeah, I know, I know…" Jaden mumbled, "but one of Thunder Giant's abilities is that he can destroy any monster whose _original_ Attack Points are less than his own."

"Wait, original Attack Points?" Alexis asked.

"That's right!" Jaden continued. "Attack Points without any kind of enhancement."

"But before I played Fusion Weapon her Attack Points were just Twenty-One Hundred!" Alexis realized.

"Exactly!" Jaden smirked. "And that's lower than my Hero Thunder Giant's! So your Blader is automatically destroyed!"

At the words Thunder Giant skated forward, stopping just inches from Cyber Blader to raise its clawed gauntlet. Bolts of lightning suddenly rained down from its hand, surrounding and engulfing Alexis' creatures on all sides and wiping it from the Field entirely.

"And the coolest part of it is Alexis," Jaden continued uninhibited, "I still have his Attack left to use on you! Epic Thunder!"

Thunder Giant surged its arms forward, prompting several large streams of lightning to flash out toward the defenseless Alexis. In a sudden shriek, the girl reeled back, using her Duel Disk to defend herself as the lightning crashed into her body.

"Auuuugh!"

"Alexis!" Jasmine said worriedly.

"Uh, what just happened?" Mindy added.

**JADEN – 200 LP**

**ALEXIS – 0 LP**

"Jaden!" Syrus shouted happily, moving to hug the boy closely.

"Heh, alright!" Jaden grinned, giving Alexis one of his many victory poses, "Looks like _that_ is Game. And you know what that means. I won, so we get off free!"

Alexis frowned, rising back to her full height as Jasmine and Mindy stood alongside her, angry scowls present on their faces.

"Okay guys," Alexis said gently, "I won't back out. We'll keep quiet about what happened tonight."

"Well, if you ask me, I think we should turn both of them in, right now!" Jasmine scowled, clenching her fists angrily.

Alexis glanced back at her friend angrily. "Well no one asked you."

That snapped Jasmine out of her hate immediately. "A-Alexis…!"

"Jaden beat me in the Duel fair and square," Alexis explained. "That's all there is to it."

"Well there's more to it than that!" Jaden grinned, folding his arms. "It was close! Yeah… you got game."

"Huh…?" Alexis asked.

"Heh…" Jaden said nothing else on the subject, instead opting to sit down in the boat and pick up the oars. "Later!"

As he began pedaling away, Syrus waved at them lazily, his disinterest in being there shown to all.

"Oh hey, look Syrus, it's Konami!"

"Ngh..!" Konami winced, staring at the pair as they passed him by.

"Guess that means you won your Duel too, eh partner?" Jaden grinned. "I knew you could do it!"

"Right." Konami deadpanned, watching as Alexis and the other Obelisk Blue girls turned their attention to him.

Way to be Jaden… way to be.

"Well, Syrus and I are on our way back to the Slifer Dorm, so we'll see you later! Pedal Syrus, pedal!"

"Right! Bye Konami!"

The two vanished in a sea of water, their humorous pedaling sending up torrents of fluid with each motion. Konami sighed as they left, watching as Alexis and her friends docked their own rowboat and disembarked.

"Don't run away, we know where you sleep anyway." Mindy said.

"You certainly have a way of making that sound creepier than it is." Alexis sighed, turning to face Konami with a curious expression on her face. "So you were out here too huh? I'm guessing you saw the Duel then?"

"Some of it." Konami answered honestly. "Jaden was right. It seemed close."

"Maybe, but in the end there can only be one winner." Alexis said. "Well, it's not all bad. I got to see Jaden's skills firsthand, and it's not like I planned on having them expelled if they lost anyway."

"H-Huh?!" Jasmine asked, aghast at such treacherous words. "What do you mean?! That was the deal wasn't it?!"

"Well, it was plain to see that neither of them meant any harm by coming here." Alexis explained, "That little one got duped, remember? Besides, even you have to admit that things around here are a lot more interesting with them around than without."

"You may have a point…" Jasmine murmured, biting her thumb numbly. "But it still feels weird, Alexis! Now that I think about it, you were sharing some pretty strange glances with that Slifer earlier too! Don't tell me that you're falling for him?"

"What? Of course not." Alexis sighed. "Why is it you two always jump to such extremes…?"

"Sounds like you still have your hands full with them." Konami input, earn a small laugh from the girl.

"You may be right, it might be time to cut em loose." Alexis smirked.

"Huh?!"

"What?!"

Mindy and Jasmine glanced at Alexis in shock.

"I'm kidding of course." came her reply. "I'm not so shallow as to leave you two behind at the drop of a hat, though I am curious… just what _are_ you doing out here, Konami?" Alexis asked. "You don't seem like the type to get caught up in Jaden's antics."

"I was Dueling Kami." He answered.

"Kami…?" Alexis asked. "Oh, you mean the girl in Crowler's class! Weren't you going to Duel her in an official match though…?"

"Yeah." Konami nodded. "She ran into Jaden and I though, so something had to be done."

"A Duel to keep quiet huh? Sounds familiar…" Alexis murmured, glancing away ever so slightly. "Still, I suppose it must have ended in your favor if you're not worried. Don't tell me… you won?"

Again, Konami nodded.

"Wha…?" Mindy trailed off. "So that means there's _two_ Slifers who have beaten an Obelisk Blue now?! And one of them is in our Dorm!"

"I hope you don't think it'll get you special treatment or anything." Jasmine frowned. "You're still just a Slifer you know."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Alexis smiled. "But from what I've seen lately, I think that Slifers are just the ones capable of bringing the most change to this school."

"Alexis!" Jasmine hissed. "You can't talk like that! Someone might hear you…!"

"Right, right…" Alexis sighed. "Anyway, we should be heading back. We still need to deal with the fact that our bath was _interrupted…_"

Mindy and Jasmine frowned at the reminder.

"Ooh that blue-hair! And he really thought that Alexis wrote him a love letter!" Mindy mumbled, stalking away alongside Jasmine.

"Right? Like she'd do such a thing!"

The two descended into random thoughts about Alexis' love life, much to the girl's chagrin as she watched them leave.

"Those two… they always act like they know so much about me…" Alexis sighed. "It kind of reminds me of _him…_"

She turned for a moment, and Konami noted the sorrowful expression that had crossed her face.

"Sorry," she said after a while, "It looks like I've killed the conversation, haven't I?"

"Not really. I didn't feel like there was much of one to begin with." Konami answered truthfully.

Alexis blinked. "What? You mean I've been talking to a brick wall this entire time? … Maybe you Slifers really _are_ a bit broke in the head."

The two settled into silence for a time.

"But… there's nothing wrong with that. It's what makes you guys unique." Alexis smiled. "I should get going. Have a good night, Konami."

She turned to follow Mindy and Jasmine, leaving Konami with much to think about.

* * *

**-Chapter Seven-**

* * *

**END**


	8. Tennis X Menace

Konami yawned silently as he rose from his comfy bed. The night of dueling had finally passed, and in its place, a brand new day had been sprung upon him. However, despite the shining sun raining down through the broken window, – Konami assumed his curtain must have blown away sometime in the night – a rather thick tension hung in the air. After all, whether or not they won their Duels, Jaden and Konami's fates were both on the line. While it was true Alexis would keep her word regarding Jaden's illicit presence, Konami wouldn't put it past Kami to rat them out, regardless of whatever promises or bets she'd made. The woman was a terror, but even so, Konami had beaten her.

The reminder brought a small smile to the boy's face as he washed. He, a lowly red "Slifer Slacker" had defeated an Obelisk Blue. In ordinary circumstances it would have called for celebration, but Konami knew he could not. He too, had made a promise after all, for in exchange for Kami's silence about Jaden so too, was he to stay quiet regarding the girl's loss. A small price to pay for an education. Yawning once more as he left the shower, Konami ran a sturdy hand through his sharp, brown hair, before reaching for the cap that he so loved.

"Are we going to be expelled…?" he whispered to himself quietly, dressing quickly and leaving the room with Deck and Disk in tow.

Ready or not, he was bound to find out.

Luckily however, Konami noticed little to no rumors circulating the building as he left the dorm. Was it just a coincidence, or had Kami really stayed quiet about their ordeal…? Perhaps the Slifer was simply overthinking things, and the girl truly had no intention to ruin her public status so easily.

"_KONAMI KODO! I MUST SPEAK WITH YOU AT ONCE!"_

The booming sound of a male voice rang throughout the Girls' Dorm, prompting Konami to collapse in surprise despite himself.

"W-What…?" he asked himself quietly, glancing around to see if anyone else had heard it.

They had.

The girls of the dorm had also ducked for safety, each of them wondering just _who_ felt it was a good idea to scream at the top of their lungs so early in the morning. Though he said nothing, Konami had his suspicions, and he dearly hoped he was wrong. Having_ that_ person discover what had happened might have been even worse than Kami breaking the deal, though for different reasons than one might expect.

Solemnly making his way to the front of the dorm, Konami scowled. There were only so many people outside the staff who could use such a boisterous tone, but there was one who could easily find or build a way to get one. He pushed the doors open, prompting a horde of women to glance up toward him as they turned away from their aggressor. Konami ignored them all, opting to glance down the stairway and scowl.

His eyes gleamed in the shadow of his cap, and slowly, the boy made to speak.

"Misawa…" he murmured, locking eyes with the megaphone-wielding Ra Yellow. Konami clenched his hands in despair. "I should have known."

Bastion just smiled eagerly in reply.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Eight**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

"You've been avoiding my questions the entire day." Bastion said somberly, interrogating Konami from his seat below him. "I just want to know whether or not the rumors are true."

It was afternoon, classes having let out some half hour ago. Still, Konami and Bastion were hard at work, both of them shuffling through their Decks in preparation of the rapidly upcoming Promotion Duels. Hearing Bastion's murmur, Konami sighed. Ever since he found Bastion waiting for him megaphone in hand, the Ra Yellow had wasted no time in berating Konami with endless questions about what had happened the night before. Evidently, while Kami and Alexis had kept their words, it seemed nearly all the boys heard about Jaden and Syrus' little fiasco with the baths.

"Ngh…" Konami grunted, shrugging Bastion's question off yet again. "Would you stop bugging me about it already? It's getting annoying."

He didn't mean to offend, but the endless questions were starting to grate on the boy's nerves. If Bastion really wanted to know so much, why didn't he just ask Jaden? Konami was sure the HERO-lover would have answered any and all questions directed at him, it was just the kid's personality after all! Oh, right. Jaden had skipped class that day.

"I do apologize of course," Bastion said politely, "but Konami, the world _deserves_ to know! Is it true that you gave Jaden a sneak peek at the women's baths?! If it is, I demand that I be given a short look as well! I've spent more time with you after all! How can you simply ignore me like that?!"

"Okay." Konami sighed, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "Obviously, whatever rumor _you_ heard is completely off base. While it's true Jaden may have visited the Girls' Dorm last night, it had _nothing_, _NOTHING_, to do with the women's baths." Konami lied.

"So he was there!" Bastion whispered conspiratorially. "In that case…! I understand! It's a secret right?!" he leaned in close to Konami, nudging the boy softly in the ribs while whispering softly. "Don't worry Konami, you can trust me! You're just worried about the teacher's finding out, right? Well, if you tell me you won't have to worry about a thing."

Konami deadpanned, glancing over at the overeager Bastion with a frown. "You really wanna know huh?" he asked, earning a sharp nod from the Ra Yellow. Konami sighed once more. "Fine, here, lean in close."

He gestured Bastion in closer, before bending down to whisper in the boy's ear. "You see Bastion… the truth is…"

Bastion nodded sharply, his eyes squinting in disbelief. Finally, the truth would be his!

"…_ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED, SO YOU CAN STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT, ALRIGHT?!"_

The bellow emitted from Konami's lips were more than enough to send Bastion reeling backward in surprise. What remained of the class too, jumped in shock, none of them expecting the stoic, typically small-voiced Konami to be capable of speaking so… loudly. It seemed he had more life in him than appeared.

"Alright… I understand." Bastion mourned with a grief-stricken face. "I… I won't inquire about it any further."

"Believe me Bastion, if something important happened you'd know about it." Konami promised, earning a one-eyed smile from the genius.

"Heh… yes, I suppose you're right now that I think about it." Bastion smiled, his confidence renewed. "I'll take your word for it then my friend, absolutely _nothing_ happened with Jaden visited you last night!"

"Oh thank god." Yuma's voice intruded upon them, her body suddenly appearing between the two Duelists as she leaned down from the higher seat. "I rushed over here as quickly as I could when I heard. Did you know some of the students are spreading rumors about you, Jaden, and that Truesdale kid having an orgy with Alexis' group in the women's bath? It was absolutely _horrifying_."

"What…?" Konami asked with a blank face. "Who told you that M-rated nonsense?"

"Oh no-one," Yuma smirked, giving the boy a thumbs-up. "I made it up now just to see you squirm. Still, there _have_ been an abundance of rumors regarding you three lately. Makes you wonder if there isn't a little bit of truth to the story after all, huh?"

"Clearly you are mistaken." Bastion countered. "There's no way Konami here would partake in something so… obscene on school grounds! A-And even if he had, Konami would have made certain to invite me! Right Konami?"

The Slifer did nothing to justify Bastion's response, instead shuffling his Deck and making to stand. "That's it. I'm out of here."

"W-What?! But what about my answer?!" Bastion exclaimed, raising his hand after Konami futilely. "Konami? _KONAMMMMMMMMMI!_"

Konami sighed at Bastion's antics, closing the door behind him as he left the class. Really… doing such a thing with Alexis, Mindy, and Jasmine of all people…? Konami blushed at the thought. While it was true the three of them were rather well endowed, Konami just couldn't see them partaking in anything of _that_ particular nature while they were still at Duel Academy. At least not in the first year there!

"Hmph, that look on your face. I don't know who you think you're fooling, but it's obvious that you're thinking something perverted!"

Konami snapped out of his thoughts, schooling his face into indifference as he turned to face his addressor. "Hello Kami." Konami said to the blue-haired girl, who was flocked, as always, by Wisteria.

"That's Umino to you, Slacker." Kami scowled. "I do hope you haven't been spreading any unseemly rumors about people! You know that at some point it's likely to get someone _expelled!_"

"Then it's a good thing I haven't." Konami retorted, folding his arms impatiently. "What about you? You haven't been spouting any nonsense, have you?"

With a toss of her hair, Kami scowled. "Of course not! Such trickery is beneath the Umino family name! Besides, who needs lies when the entire world will see the truth in just a few days! Once I defeat you in our official match, no rumor on earth will be able to spare you the humiliation!"

"Glad to hear it." Konami smiled wryly. "Though I hope you don't plan on using any kind of WATER Deck. With all the _fish_ showing up _dead_ at the Academy _recently_, I can't imagine it'd do you any good."

Kami clenched her hands at the veiled reminder, and her face flushed rapidly.

"What my Deck contains is no business of yours, _Slifer_!" Kami barked, running another hand through her hair arrogantly to control herself. "Come along Wisteria, we have better things to do than idle about with one of _his_ kind!"

Wisteria nodded in agreement silently, and without another word the two brushed past Konami as if he wasn't there, knocking into his shoulder twice as they did so.

"…!" Konami swiveled around to watch their backs as they left, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the movements. "What was that about, Wisteria?"

"Indeed. I expected you to get such treatment from Kami, given your position, but Wisteria has never gone out of her way to demonize you. I wonder… is this too a result of last night's rumors?" Bastion asked, appearing behind Konami in an instant.

The Slifer flinched at the sudden noise behind him, turning around to stare Bastion down in surprise. "Bastion…? But weren't you just… in the classroom…?"

"Quite. It seems I have a knack for getting out of such places unnoticed." Bastion explained. "Is this a sign of my skill as a Pro Duelist I wonder…?"

"No… it just means you don't carry that much of a presence." Konami explained, much to Bastion's shock.

"Not… much of a presence…?" the Ra whispered. "You mean to say… I'm forgettable?"

"Did I say that?" Konami asked, tilting his head at Bastion curiously.

"Hm? What's that?" Bastion asked suddenly, his earlier worries of being a background member of society forgotten.

Konami blinked in surprise, staring at the location to which Bastion was pointing. The innermost folds of his Slifer-Red Jacket. Frowning, Konami fiddled with his sleeves for several seconds, prompting Yuma to arrive at the strangest sight as she too finally left the classroom.

"Huh…? Konami… what's with the weird dance…?" she asked warily, turning to the side in a guarded motion. "Did… Bastion talk you into this?"

"No." Konami explained immediately, not wanting to hear Bastion moan about getting all the blame. "There is something here… in… my… pocket."

Just as he finished his statement a folded white sheet of paper fell from the sleeve, prompting the Slifer to reach for it immediately.

"Ooh, what's this?" Yuma asked, being faster at the draw. "A love letter perhaps? Breaking hearts already, Konami?"

"You tell me." The boy countered, moving forward to grab the slip of paper. "I met you first, after all."

Yuma reeled back at the sudden proximity to the Slifer Red student. Handing the paper over quickly, she glanced at the ground, folding her arms in mild annoyance. "Don't get so close, idiot! You're just a friend!"

"Yes, that's right." Bastion said, the paper Yuma meant to hand over having fallen to the ground due to her sudden movement. Reaching down to pick it up, he smiled, before curling it open to read. "So the question is who's crushing on our dear Slifer?"

Konami swiped the paper from Bastion before the boy could read it. "It's none of your business if it is a crush, but I have the feeling it's about something else."

"Really?" Yuma asked.

"Well go on then," Bastion smiled, folding his arms once more. "Read it!"

Konami did, and the second he finished reading the first two sentences, he knew it wasn't a love letter.

_I KNOW. IF YOU DON'T WANT OTHERS TO AS WELL, YOU'LL MEET ME IN THE CLASSROOM BUILDING AT EIGHT TONIGHT. DON'T BE LATE._

Konami clenched the paper in his fist tightly, his body trembling at the sudden realization.

"_Wisteria…!"_ he thought fiercely, wondering how he'd have possibly missed it.

She was _always_ following Kami around after all, why would things have been different when Kami turned back?! Settling his face into a stern expression, Konami made to turn around.

"W-Whoa! Not a good letter I take it?" Bastion exclaimed, getting a glimpse of the boy's face before he vanished around the corner.

"So… what?" Yuma asked, not at all understanding. "It was a bad confession then?"

Bastion sighed. "You're absolutely hopeless."

"Hopeless?" Yuma questioned. "But I thought Konami was the one in a _despairing_ situation?"

Bastion felt his brow twitch at the words.

"Get it? Hopeless? Despair?" Yuma squinted her eyes at Bastion cautiously. "…It works right?"

Bastion just sighed.

**-GX-**

**Konami returned to the dorm, preparing himself for the inevitable battle at hand. After testing his Deck several times, night fell, and it was time to leave…**

**-GX-**

Konami stood solemnly in his room, prepared for the task at hand. His Deck was settled snugly in his holster, and the Duel Disk attached to his arm was free of any recent stains. Nodding slowly, Konami turned, heading out toward his door to leave for the Classroom Building. He was ready.

The halls leading to the front door were just as long and winding as ever, but to Konami, it gave him time to think. What was the purpose in Wisteria calling him out? If she wanted to get revenge for Kami, was threatening to expose everything that happened really worth it? No. The girl had to be playing some other game, Konami just didn't know what.

Lost in his thoughts, Konami almost didn't notice arriving in the front lobby. Fortunately, he had someone there to do that for him.

"Heading out huh? Gonna go deal with whatever was in that letter?"

"Yuma." Konami acknowledged, recognizing the voice of the girl appearing before him. "...Why am I not surprised you're here?"

"Who knows? Must just be a friend thing." Yuma said, folding her arms casually. "I _was_ planning on teaching you more about Shadow Duels today but, given the circumstances I guess it'll just have to wait. Too bad, what with this being one of your last days in the Girls' Dorm and all."

Ah. So she'd heard. Indeed, if Konami remembered correctly his room in Slifer should be complete sometime tomorrow. He wondered whether or not he'd have to move everything on his own…

"Hey, you're not zoning out again are you? That's very healthy."

Konami blinked, returning to the problem at hand. "Yeah, you're right. I don't have time to play around with you today. That letter was important."

"Yeah, I figured as much from the look you got after reading it." Yuma smiled wryly. "Ah well, I guess I'll just have to sneak into the Red Dorm and wake you up whenever I need you. After all, unlike here at the Girls' Dorm, we _don't_ risk getting expelled if we decide to pay someone an overnight visit."

"Double Standard…" Konami mumbled beneath his breath, though Yuma still heard him.

"Maybe," she shrugged, "doesn't mean it's not useful. Anyway, we'll talk more later. You were heading out, right?"

"That's right. I should be going…" Konami nodded, turning to walk away.

"Try not to leave her waiting, whoever she is!" Yuma called after him, "Girls can get pretty feisty if they think they've been stood up!"

Konami said nothing to reply, though his pace increased. As a result, he wound up reaching the Tennis Courts far earlier than he would have maintaining his typical walking speed. He glanced toward the sky, watching the sun slowly descend past the horizon. Was it finally time…? He did not know. The area was empty, leaving him to wonder if he himself had been played. Glancing around warily, Konami stepped further in, walking toward the center of the courts.

"Fufufu…" a voice suddenly called out through the darkness. "So you came."

Konami glanced upward, his heart still and eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the slender figure balancing on one of the nets above. By the voice and silhouette alone the Slifer believed it was a woman, and his thoughts were proven true as the moonlight shone down upon his addressor's form. Just as he expected, it was Wisteria.

"Tonight is a good night, is it not?" the woman asked, balancing herself gently on the Tennis net upon which she walked. "A perfect night… one worth Dueling for."

Suddenly she leapt forward, spinning and twirling in the air gracefully before landing in front of Konami with a perfect stop. Konami wondered if he was expected to clap, but did not do so. After all, the woman in front of him seemed different from the girl who followed Kami. The aura she carried seemed much larger, much stronger than anything Konami felt from her earlier. Almost as if her earlier state had been suppressed.

"Wisteria." Konami acknowledged, tipping his head ever so slightly toward the girl. "So it was you after all."

"Quite." She replied, setting a hand on her hip softly. "To be honest, I wasn't sure you would come. It was not as if you had anything to lose after all. The Yuki boy would be the one expelled, not you. Though, I suppose as a fellow Slifer you have his wellbeing in mind, no?"

Konami said nothing.

"Well, I suppose you'd like to get on with it, no?" Wisteria asked. "The reason that I summoned you here…."

The girl turned at that, folding her arms behind her back while staring up toward the moon. "As you may have discerned from the letter I slipped you after class… I know full well what happened last night. I saw you and Jaden Yuki sneak through the Girls' Dorms, and yes, I saw the outcome of your Duel with Kami as well."

"What's the point of all this then? Revenge for Kami?" Konami questioned, only to shake his head seconds after. "No. That doesn't fit. You've already shown that you don't have Kami's best interests at heart, or you wouldn't have helped us escape the Abandoned Dorm that time… and… I know for certain that it isn't _my_ interests you have here. So, what are you up to, Wisteria?"

The girl giggled slightly, curling around to face Konami once more. "That's for me to know I'm afraid, but it matters little, given the current circumstances. The fact is, Konami-kun, if you don't acquiesce to my demands here and now, I'm afraid your Hero-loving friend won't be around much longer to Duel much of anything… and while you may not be expelled, who knows what stigma may be imposed upon you for assisting such a… "lecherous" pervert on his quest to the Girls' Baths? Why, the students here may very well excommunicate you!"

Konami could care less about that. He held no fear of going at things alone. It was how he had planned on doing things upon arriving at the Academy, at least before he got dragged into dueling Bastion. But Jaden… Konami couldn't just let the boy wake up the next morning to discover he'd been expelled under extraneous circumstances. It wouldn't be fair. That left only one option.

"What is it…?" Konami asked with a glare. "But I'm telling you now, I won't do anything I don't agree with."

Wisteria smiled. "I'd expect as much, but you may relax. I have no intention to request anything unsavory from you. In fact, I must say that you may enjoy this as much as I will!" She raised her right arm elegantly, the silver armament attached to her forearm suddenly expanding and sliding down to the length of her shoulder.

A Duel Disk, Konami noted.

"A Duel." Wisteria said, locking her red eyes with Konami's own. "As I said, I witnessed your Duel with Kami, Konami-kun. However, I wish to ascertain for myself whether the outcome was a result of true skill… or a mere twist of fate." She studied the look on Konami's face for a moment before smiling. "Worry not however. Regardless of the outcome, I have no intention of exposing you, or Yuki for that matter, to the school's faculty. Well, so long as you don't throw the Duel that is."

Konami couldn't help it. He chuckled.

"You certainly have a strange way of doing things, Wisteria. All of this… the secrecy, the blackmail… and all you request of me is a Duel?" Konami smiled. "There are easier ways to get what you want."

"…You would think so." Wisteria muttered, her eyes darting down toward the ground for just a moment. "However, my circumstances are not something that can be understood by the likes of you! Now, do you accept, or shall I explain to Chancellor Sheppard just what happened last night?!"

Konami shook his head, whether in exasperation or disappointment he knew not. He raised his Duel Disk. "I never turn down a Duel, and I never throw a match either. You wanted me, Wisteria? Here I am. Now, let's do it!"

**-DUEL-**

**KONAMI VS WISTERIA**

**KONAMI - 4000 LP  
**

**WISTERIA - 4000 LP**

"I'm sure you've heard of the term "Ladies first", no?" Wisteria asked. "If you haven't, just know… that it's my move! Draw!"

**TURN ONE – WISTERIA**

"I'll start things off with this! The Field Spell Gaia Power!" Wisteria declared, slapping the green card down upon her Duel Disk.

In an instant the world around them erupted with golden light. Plants and trees suddenly burst from the Tennis Courts, growing to an immense size around them until they dwarfed the very moon itself. Konami glanced around at the new playing Field mildly, admitting to himself that in such a big forest, he felt like little more than an ant.

_GAIA POWER – FIELD SPELL_

"Gaia Power is a Field Spell that increases the Attack of all EARTH monsters I control by Five-Hundred Points, at the expense of decreasing their Defense by Four-Hundred Points! It's an older Field Spell, as you may know, but it works." Wisteria explained, her red eyes gleaming in the area coolly. "Of course, I don't intend to just end things off here. After all, what good is a forest without any _Beasts_?! Come forth now, beastly prince, Moja!"

She slapped a monster card down upon the Field, a small black creature with a yellow face appearing with a small cry. It hopped up and down upon the grass of the newly risen forest, before gazing upon Konami with curious, beady eyes.

Moja – (EARTH/Beast) – LV1 – (600/0)

"Hm, I'll be honest." Konami said, gazing upon the creature with a mild face of his own. "When you talk big like that, I can't help but admit that I was hoping for something… more."

"Oh don't worry Konami," Wisteria smirked. "My Turn is far from over, and the Beasts will only grow stronger from here. I'm activating an effect from my Hand! When there is a face-up "Moja" I control on the Field, I can Tribute it to Special Summon the card I now call!"

Thrusting her hand forward toward the small critter she'd summoned, Wisteria began to chant. "Throughout this forest where all species slumber, the old king rises to stake his claim! Varmint! Monstrosity! Begone now Moja! Let the field of nature grant you new strength! Assume your true form and come forth – _King of the Beasts!_"

With each word she spoke Moja's eyes grew wider and wider, until Konami was certain they could indeed grow no more. In a flash of light Moja's body turned bright, and several skeletal legs burst forth from its body to display his new might. Its small squeak grew into a horrid roar, and upon gazing at its new form Konami knew "Moja" was no more.

King of the Beasts – (EARTH/Beast) – LV7 – (3000/400)

"Amazing." Konami breathed, staring at the large, overbearing beast that took up much of the Forest itself. "In a single turn you've managed to summon such a powerful monster…"

"This is the true power of Obelisk Blue." Wisteria explained, setting one card down on the Field. "The ability that Kami, of all people, failed to show you."

"Heh… it's certainly interesting… making me go up against such a creature on my first turn…" Konami chuckled, "but…" he trailed off for a moment, glancing at the cards in his hand, "That King of yours has one major flaw, and I'll show it to you right now! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"Oh?" Wisteria asked, gazing at the boy in delight. "You can destroy my King of the Beasts this turn can you? I must admit I am curious. Show me then… the skill you used to overcome Bastion Misawa and Kami Umino…"

"Don't worry." Konami assured her, "I'll show you, and I'll start by doing this! I summon Troop Dragon to the Field in Attack Mode!"

Upon finishing his words Konami placed the Effect Monster on the Field face-up, prompting a pair of armored, green-skinned dragonoids to appear wielding several iron weapons in their hands.

Troop Dragon – (WIND/Dragon) – LV2 – (700/800)

"What's this?" Wisteria questioned. "Forgive me for misunderstanding… but I fail to see how such a low-level creature has the strength to overcome my King."

"Oh don't worry," Konami chuckled, "I don't intend to have Troop Dragon deal with your King of the Beasts directly. Luckily, thanks to the Spell Card in my Hand, it won't have to. Behold, the Dragon Magic – Dragon's Gunfire!"

He revealed the shining Spell in his hand, prompting Wisteria to raise her brow in confusion.

"I recall that card! You used it to defeat Kami in your Duel last night!" Wisteria breathed, "However, that card only lets you inflict effect damage to my Life Points! It won't help you overcome my Beast!"

"That's what you think," Konami smirked, "But Dragon's Gunfire has another effect. If I choose to forgo the Effect Damage ability it provides, I can instead choose to use one another, the effect to destroy one face-up monster on the Field with Eight-Hundred Defense Points or less!"

"What?!" Wisteria gasped, glancing back at the Field. "But my King of the Beasts only has Eight-Hundred Defense Points as is! And with my Gaia Power on the Field… that means it has even less than that!"

"That's right." Konami smirked, "Which means it's the perfect target for my Troop Dragon's Karyu no Kaendan!"

The two dragons roared out in agreement, opening their jaws wide to release a torrent of flames upon the King's form. The beast roared as the two bullets set his fur aflame, and it reeled back, its overbearing size fading away as Konami's dragons seized the glory of war.

Wisteria hissed, shielding her eyes from the large cloud of dirt that rose with the collapse of her monster. She tightened her gaze, Swiveling back to gaze at Konami with interest. "How intriguing. I didn't realize that Dragon's Gunfire carried another effect…"

"Don't worry about it." Konami said. "After all… you've yet to feel the burn of its first, haven't you? Let's change that." He revealed the second Dragon's Gunfire in his hand, much to Wisteria's surprise.

In an instant, the Troop Dragon's opened their jaws wide a second time, the gallery of flames opening once more to engulf the girl in its midst.

"Ah…! It's hot!"

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 3200 LP**

Konami watched as the girl attempted to maintain her composure upon being burned, and he folded his arms patiently. "You doing alright there?"

"Hmph, you act as though you should care." Wisteria muttered. "Is that all?"

Smiling, the boy shook his head. "Of course not. I still have my regular attack to use on you as well after all. Troop Dragon… attack her directly!"

Scowling at her suspicions being correct, Wisteria grimaced, feeling the phantom pain of being impaled and clubbed by the twin dragons' thunderous assault.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2500 LP**

"Tsk…! I'm not putting on a very good show, am I?" the woman asked, her face curled into a scowl as she spoke.

"Not really, but then, the game's only just begun. You have plenty of time." Konami assured her. "I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn."

"My move then," Wisteria whispered. "Draw!"

**TURN THREE – WISTERIA**

"Ho…? It seems as though my luck's about to turn around." Wisteria smirked. "I summon Senju of the Thousand Hands in Attack Position! Appear now!"

At Wisteria's words the forest shifted and curved, and a wooden-looking figure composed of many hand-shaped objects appeared on the Field.

Senju of the Thousand Hands – (LIGHT/Fairy) – LV4 – (1400/1000)

"A Fairy…?" Konami wondered, "Strange, I thought this was a Beast Deck."

"Oh it is," Wisteria smirked, "but there's more than one kind of Beast to play, no? I activate Senju's effect! When he is Normal Summoned to the Field, I can select one Ritual Monster Card in my Deck and add it to my Hand! The card I'm selecting is this!" she revealed the blue card she just grabbed from her Deck. "Super War-Lion!"

"A Ritual Monster huh…?" Konami acknowledged. "It's weaker than your King of the Beasts."

"Indeed, which is why it may not see play during this Duel." Wisteria agreed. "Of course, if the situation calls for it, do not think for a second that I would not play it. Rituals have always held a rather… unique place in my heart. A shame I cannot find more. I'd love to wield a Deck of such cards one day."

"Might not want to let your Beasts know that." Konami said, "They might not take you jumping in bed with another archetype all that well."

"Hm…? Indeed." Wisteria laughed, masking her lips behind the cards in her hands. "Who knows what ravaging things they might do to me? But I'm sure a Shining Slifer like you will save me, no?"

"Trying to get me to bare it all?" Konami questioned.

"While I'm sure we'd both enjoy that, I'm afraid that this is only the first date!" Wisteria announced. "Senju, destroy his Troop Dragon!"

The Fairy harrumphed at the woman's command, its thousand hands shooting swirling beams of light that impaled the twin dragons swiftly. Konami cried out in protest as the Troop Dragons exploded, though he took no time at all to recover.

"Troop Dragon's effect activates!" he shouted. "When it's destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon one "Troop Dragon" from my Deck!"

In an instant two more green dragons appeared, making their defensive stand in the same location where their fallen comrades were slain.

Troop Dragon – (WIND/Dragon) – LV2 – (700/800)

"Hm…? Kill one and another appears is it?" Wisteria questioned. "Well, that's all well and good, but don't forget that you take damage from the difference between our monsters!"

"I know." Konami muttered, watching his Life Points drop due to Wisteria's earlier attack.

**KONAMI – 3300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2500 LP**

"Now then, I think I'll end my Turn." Wisteria announced.

"My move then, Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

"I summon Flame Ruler to the Field in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, throwing the effect monster out quickly in a flash of light.

The bronzed Pyro scowled as his blue-hair whipped through the towering forest, his robe the brightest thing in the midst of the ever-growing trees.

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (1500/1600)

"Next, I'll turn my Troop Dragon back in Attack Position!" Konami continued, earning a frown from his opponent.

"Going to attack again? How unsavory." Wisteria quipped, folding her arms patiently as she watched the twin dragons rise back to their full height.

"Unsavory though it may be, this Duel will only end when one of us hits rock-bottom, and I have no intention for it to be me!" Konami shouted. "Flame Ruler, burn her Senju to ash! Flame Fist!"

Konami's Pyro-type yelled at the command, leaping across the Field to punch Senju in what appeared to be its face. The Fairy erupted into flames upon contact, and with a loud shout, it shattered into gold dust, leaving Wisteria to take a miniscule amount of damage.

**KONAMI – 3300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2400 LP**

"And now, Troop Dragon, attack directly!" Konami roared, throwing his fingers toward Wisteria eagerly.

"Ngh…!" the Obelisk Blue student hissed as she felt the weight of the dragon's attack. Her body slumped lightly, leaving her to exhale softly before regaining her composed demeanor.

**KONAMI – 3300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 1700 LP**

"Well, this isn't good. I'm nearly down to half your Life Points…!" Wisteria grimaced.

"So how is it?" Konami asked, "My so-called skill you're interested in?"

"I must admit that I am not disappointed." Wisteria revealed. "You are as every bit powerful and talented as I'd hoped. Destroying my ace monster in such a fashion… you certainly now how to make a girl feel embarrassed."

"Is that so?" Konami questioned. "You don't seem to be all that concerned about it."

"Oh believe me Konami-kun, I am." Wisteria smirked coyly. "In fact, I do believe that I should pay you back for that right now! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – WISTERIA**

"Hmm… just what I needed." The girl smiled. "I activate the Spell Card Ayer's Rock Sunrise! Now, by discarding all the cards in my Hand, I can select one Beast-type monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it to my side of the Field! Then, the attack of all face-up monsters _you_ control is decreased by Two-Hundred Points until the End Phase for every Beast monster in my Graveyard!"

"You have Moja in your Graveyard… and that Super War-Lion now too." Konami recalled. "So that makes… Four-Hundred Points?!"

"That's right!" Wisteria exclaimed, pleased that Konami's words inferred he already knew what she was going to summon. "Now, come on back, King of the Beasts!"

The creature's great roar echoed throughout the Forest once more, Gaia Power continuing to strengthen the black-furred creature as it rose from the depths of the abyss.

King of the Beasts – (EARTH/Beast) – LV7 – (3000/400)

"Fufufu… there's no Dragon's Gunfire to save you this time, and due to Ayer's Rock Sunrise, both your monsters have been weakened." Wisteria explained.

Troop Dragon – (WIND/Dragon) – LV2 – (300/800)

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (1100/1600)

"Tch…! This is gonna hurt." Konami grunted, bracing himself for the assault.

"King of the Beasts, go!" Wisteria declared, "Destroy his Flame Ruler with your Un Rugido!

At the command the great king howled, the power of its roar sending tremors throughout the entire Field. The ground shook and trembled, and in an instant, Flame Ruler shattered, unable to bear the sound any longer.

"Gh…! Guah…!" Konami hissed, feeling the same dread his monster felt upon being destroyed.

His Life Points dropped quickly.

**KONAMI – 1400 LP**

**WISTERIA – 1700 LP**

"Well now, that certainly seems to have evened things up." Wisteria replied chirpily, setting her hand on her hip in delight.

"…yeah." Konami noted, his eyes narrowed as he rose back to his feet. "But even if you say that, it's pretty clear you've got the advantage here."

Wisteria's King of the Beast roared once more, and the girl's eyes gleamed at the words. "Quite. So now, Konami-kun, I must ask. What will you do…?"

"That's simple." Konami said, drawing his next card.

**TURN SIX – KONAMI**

"I'll defend."

He quickly turned Troop Dragon into Defense Position, prompting the two dragons to curl in on themselves quietly.

"Hm…? So you're simply going to run and hide?" Wisteria asked. "How sad. I was hoping for yet another of your miraculous recoveries."

"Sorry, but it looks like you'll have to wait for one of those." Konami said. "I'll set one more card, and call it a turn."

"Well then, I hope you're prepared to lose." Wisteria frowned. "My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN SEVEN – WISTERIA**

"I summon The Trojan Horse to the Field in Attack Position!" the girl declared, calling forth the well-known wooden horse onto the Field.

The Trojan Horse – (EARTH/Beast) – LV4 – (2100/800)

"Another monster…?" Konami winced.

"That's right… and with another monster comes another attack!" Wisteria declared. "Battle Phase, I think I'll have my Trojan Horse attack your Troop Dragon!"

The wooden horse neighed, rising back on its hind feet before collapsing forward, sending a shockwave through the forest floor. Konami's Troop Dragons cried out as the wave overtook them, the stamping hoof proving to be more formidable than they imagined. They shattered into a golden light, prompting Wisteria to smirk.

"Now then…" she whispered, only for Konami to suddenly cut her off.

"Not so fast, Wisteria!" Konami exclaimed. "You've forgotten about my Troop Dragon's effect! When it's destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon another to the Field in any position I please, which means, my third and final Troop Dragon can appear now, in Defense Position!"

Wisteria widened her eyes in surprise as yet another pair of dragons appeared before Konami, their eyes glistening defiantly as they guarded his Life Points with all their might.

Troop Dragon – (WIND/Dragon) – LV4 – (700/800)

"You had another…?" Wisteria breathed. "Three in the same Deck… I see. So you can defend yourself as much as you can…"

"That's right." Konami revealed. "Which means you won't get at my Life Points this Turn…!"

"Perhaps not." Wisteria smiled softly. "But you forget… that also means that after this Turn, you won't have any more Dragons to hide behind! Go King of the Beasts, wipe out the last of those Troop Dragons with Un Rugido!"

Yet again the King roared, its terrible sound shattering parts of the forest itself and laying waste to Konami's last defense. The boy winced and shielded his eyes as his monster was destroyed, this time with no effect capable of saving him.

"And that's the last of them." Wisteria muttered.

"Looks like it." Konami grunted. "But… their sacrifice wasn't in vain. You have no further monsters to attack with, Wisteria."

"True." the girl admitted, running a hand through one of her twin-tails. "Of course, that simply means I'll have to finish you off on my next turn. Dueling is quite simple like that you see."

"Yeah. Positions can change at the drop of a hat." Konami replied.

"Ho…? That begs the question…" Wisteria whispered, "what will happen if you drop yours?"

"Want to find out?"

"I'll pass I'm afraid. I'm far too close to victory to throw it all away now. Perhaps some other time…?" Wisteria asked.

"Sorry," Konami replied, "it's a one-time deal… and it's about to expire! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN EIGHT – KONAMI**

"_It's here!"_ he thought, his eyes gleaming as he gazed upon the monster in his hand. _"Finally!"_

"Well…?" Wisteria asked, "Is the card you drew that bad?"

"On the contrary." Konami chuckled, his own red eyes gleaming in the night, "It's the best card in my Deck… and I have everything I need to summon it! Reveal Face-Down, Monster Reborn!"

"What?! You've had that down there this entire time?!" Wisteria asked in surprise.

"That's right. I've been saving it for just this moment." Konami grinned. "Now, by bringing back my Flame Ruler, the Final Act of this Duel can begin!"

"…!"

In a torrent of flames the Pyro-Type reappeared, his body burning bright with fire as he stepped down into the trembling forest.

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (1500/1600)

"That monster…? But it's Attack Points…?"

"Are weaker than both your monsters." Konami nodded. "Yeah, I know all that. But you see, I didn't bring Flame Ruler out here to fight you."

"What? Then what did you bring him out here for?" Wisteria questioned, her stance shifting ever so slightly. She was worried.

"Didn't you know…?" Konami asked, a small smirk growing on his face as the monster's flames seemed to burn around him. "Flame Ruler has an effect. If I use him as Tribute Material for a FIRE-type monster that requires _two_ Tributes… he alone can be worth the entire thing!"

"!" Wisteria's eyes widened. "What did you just say?! So then, the only reason that monster is in your Deck to begin with…?"

"Is as fodder material for my dragons." Konami smirked. "That's right."

"A Dragon…?! With two Tributes…?!" Wisteria cursed. "But those are some of the most powerful monsters in the game! Even Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba used some creatures!"

"That's right…" Konami laughed. "…and while this dragon's eyes may not glow red or blue, it still has more than enough power to defeat _you_, Wisteria!"

Konami raised his cards to the sky, and began to chant.

"The King's grand jewel shines through here, subjugating all who dare oppose him!" he whipped the card back, pulling it from the fold of his Hand as he continued to speak. "Ruler! Oppressor! Rise with the might of the burning sun! I beckon you here now," he slammed the card down upon his Duel Disk, and Flame Ruler faded away as a far greater FIRE-type took to the Field. "_Tyrant Dragon!_"

A roar suddenly echoed throughout the forest, producing just as many tremors, if not more, as Wisteria's King of the Beasts. Suddenly, a dragon of brown color emerged upon the Field, leaning back on its hind legs to reveal its light-purple underbody and terrible wings. Raising its claws, it glared at both the Trojan Horse and so-called "King", opening its jaws to roar one final time before crashing back down on all fours.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2500)

"…so this is your Dragon!" Wisteria exclaimed, taking in the monster's full size. After a moment, her mind registered just how many Attack Points the creature had, and she giggled. "Well, I won't say I'm not impressed, but Konami-kun, your dragon just doesn't have enough manpower to destroy my King I'm afraid."

"Doesn't it though?" Konami smirked, revealing the face-down card he played last turn. "I think it would, through the power of the Dragon Magic – Stampede!"

"Ah…! I remember that card!" Wisteria shouted.

"That's right!" Konami explained. "With this, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on the Field, and then inflict Five-Hundred Points of damage to the owner of that card! That means," Konami continued, pointing toward Wisteria's Field Spell, "that this Forest is finished! Hit it Tyrant Dragon! Burn this world to ash!"

Tyrant Dragon roared at the command, raising its hind foot to smash down upon the earth loudly. The world trembled and shook upon feeling the full force of its impact, and one by one the trees of Wisteria's Gaia Power began to collapse.

"What…?! No…! This can't be…! Ah…!" the girl exclaimed, glancing behind her as a tree fell toward her being. "No!"

It crashed, sending a wave of smoke and debris throughout the area.

**KONAMI – 1400 LP**

**WISTERIA – 1200 LP**

"Ha… Ha…!" the girl breathed, climbing back to her feet after having just barely escaped the collapsing area. "…That was a dirty trick…!"

"Oh? And here I thought you were starting to like me." Konami smirked. "Sorry, but I'm afraid my Tricks aren't done yet. I still have one more Spell to play, and having seen my Duel with Kami, I'm sure you'll recognize this one as well! The Field Spell Molten Destruction!"

Tyrant Dragon roared as the land became barren, and behind it, a large smoking volcano came into view.

"No…! You drew this as well?!" Wisteria asked.

"That's right, which means my Dragon here gets a whooping Five-Hundred Point boost to his Attack Points. And don't forget," Konami said, pointing to Wisteria's own monsters. "Since Gaia Power is no longer active on the Field, that means your monsters lose whatever boost they had."

Wisteria's eyes widened, realizing that the boy was right. She quickly glanced to the Field, quickly seeing that the tide had indeed changed.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (3400/2100)

King of the Beasts – (EARTH/Beast) – LV7 – (2500/800)

The Trojan Horse – (EARTH/Beast) – LV4 – (1600/1200)

"Now then… shall we wrap this up?" Konami asked. "Tyrant Dragon…! Attack her Trojan Horse and end this Duel!"

"No…! If I can get just one more Turn then I can…!" Wisteria grimaced. "Reveal Face-Down! Gift of the Mystical Elf! With this, I gain Three-Hundred Life Points for every monster on the Field, which means that I'll have just enough to survive this Attack of yours!"

Revealing the card she'd placed some time ago, Wisteria leaned back, feeling the soothing aura of the Mystical Elf heal her Life Points.

**KONAMI – 1400 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2100 LP**

"That's all well and good," Konami smirked, "but don't forget that those Life Points you just gained are going right back, due to our monster's battle!"

Tyrant Dragon roared in agreement, its claw lashing down upon the Trojan Horse and shattering it into unrecognizable pieces. Wisteria screamed as several shards were sent flying through her, prompting a swift drop in her Life Points yet again.

**KONAMI – 1400 LP**

**WISTERIA – 300 LP**

"…Ah…!" Wisteria winced, "I survived… somehow."

"Oh? Is that what you think?" Konami asked, drawing the girl's attention. "Looks to me like the game is over."

"What do you mean…? I still have Three-Hundred Life Points!" Wisteria shouted. "And your monster has already attacked this Turn!"

"Yes, yes… it's attacked _once_." Konami said, emphasizing on that word, "But, the funny thing about Tyrant Dragon is… if my opponent still controls a monster after his first attack, then he gets to attack one more time."

"…!" Wisteria reeled back at the revelation. "What…? Then… that means…?"

"That's right," Konami explained. "Since you still have a King of the Beasts on your side of the Field, my Tyrant Dragon gets one more attack, and that means… Wisteria…" Konami's eyes gleamed, and he pointed toward her victoriously, "that I win!"

Tyrant Dragon roared.

"Go Tyrant Dragon!" Konami roared, punching forward with all his might. "Show that overgrown hedgehog why Tyrants are better than Kings!"

Roaring once more, Tyrant Dragon leaned back, its jaws glowing with infernal hellfire as it stared down its opponent to be. The King of the Beast stared back, helpless in the onslaught of the Fire King.

"Go!" Konami roared, much to Wisteria's horror. "Tyrant Tidal Flame!"

His Dragon snarled, and the world turned red.

* * *

**-Chapter Eight-**

* * *

**END**


	9. Aftermath x Single Path

"Some people say I'm a cold woman."

The Duel was long over. Having defeated the Beast-user Wisteria, Konami proved yet again, that rank meant nothing when it came to cards. It was a shame no one had been there to see it. As it stood, the two of them were alone, accompanying each other back to the Girls' Dorm after the conclusion of their "red-hot" Duel. It was at that point Wisteria first spoke, ending the long silence that had drifted between them.

"Some people say I'm a cold woman." she repeated, louder.

Konami smiled wryly. Had she thought he didn't hear her? He supposed it was a possibility. He had been rather silent on the path back.

"Was my dragon's fire not enough to get you hot?" he questioned.

Wisteria giggled at the words. Shaking her head, she quickened her pace ever so slightly, so that she was ahead of Konami, but only just. "It would seem not. Though… you do realize that someone may take your words the wrong way?"

"That same could be said for you." Konami mused, recalling the many words she'd used during the Duel. "In the end… it doesn't matter what they think though. No matter what words we exchanged, I won, fair and square."

"You're right. You did." Wisteria acquiesced. "I thought I had you, but it seems I was the one who'd been had. Tyrant Dragon... What a fearsome creature you possess."

She stopped suddenly, turning around to stare at Konami intently. "As I stated before, I have no intention of exposing what happened that night, and while I certainly can't speak for her, I believe you are safe to assume that Kami will take no such action either. Still… our Duel tonight proved to me that your skills are just as real as I'd hoped. It was no fluke that you managed to defeat Bastion, nor was it mere coincidence that you bested Kami. You are a powerful Duelist, Konami-kun. Powerful enough to recreate the miracle, no, recreate the _circumstances_ that allowed you to defeat Kami the first time." Wisteria smiled lightly, steadying her pace to walk alongside the boy once more. "I'm certain now, on the day of your Duel… you will defeat that woman."

"Was that what this was about?" Konami asked. "Wanting to see whether or not I could defeat Kami…?"

"Seeing is not an issue." Wisteria corrected. "If I wanted to merely _see_ you defeat her, I would simply replay the memory in my mind again and again. But believing it, knowing in the depths of my very own Duelist Soul that it could happen again, in an organized arena with thousands watching… that requires something a bit more… personal. It is why I sought to Duel you this night, and why I fought you as I did. Needless to say, I was not disappointed." Wisteria trailed off for a moment, glancing at the ground as they continued to walk the gravel road back to the dorm. "In our Duel, you were every bit as ruthless as I hoped you'd be. Each of my tactics fell before you, and in the end, it was I who lost the battle."

"That's true." Konami said. "But I'm not quite satisfied."

The revelation stunned Wisteria. He had emerged victorious, yet he claimed that he was not happy with the outcome? "May I ask why?" Wisteria asked, staring at the boy curiously.

"The Deck you've been using… that Beast Deck. Is it really you…?" Konami wondered aloud. "It's a good Deck, but doesn't it feel… off?"

"Off?" Wisteria asked. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean. Could you reiterate that, Konami-kun?"

"It's strange. I don't know how to put it, but…" Konami paused, giving the girl a firm stare. "Beasts just don't seem to fit you at all, Wisteria."

The girl blinked at him several times, as if ensuring the boy had actually said what he did. After a moment, the girl broke out into small laughter, shaking her head at Konami's words. "Beasts don't suit me? And here I thought you were going to say something important." She waved his statement off with her hand, the smile not once leaving her face as she continued to speak. "However, you may have a point. I said it before, did I not? The ideal Deck I wish to use… I fear it holds far fewer Beasts than my current rendition."

"That's right." Konami recalled. "The Super War-Lion… you wanted a Ritual Deck, didn't you? So your current Deck… is little more than a substitute. Too bad. I'd have liked to see it… maybe the next time we Duel, you'll use what comes naturally to you?"

"Ho…? Next time?" Wisteria asked coyly, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Planning a second date already dear Slifer? How unfortunate. This was a one-time romp I'm afraid."

"Really?" Konami questioned, his gaze revealing that he though otherwise. "You may think that now, but I'm sure I saw it. At the start of this Duel you cared little for who won and who lost, so long as you found out what it is that you wanted to know. But… as our Duel dragged on I definitely noticed it. Your emotions gave you away, Wisteria. And that's why… I'm sure you'll Duel me again someday. Just as I am certain that by the time we reached my Final Turn… you definitely wanted to beat me."

"Hmm…?" Wisteria smiled at the Slifer mysteriously, leaving Konami to wonder just what was going through her mind. "How interesting. It seems that on top of your Dueling Skills, you're a rather observant person, aren't you? Very well. I won't deny it. It is true that I fought you with the intention to discern whether or not you were a worthy, capable opponent for Kami. However… I may have lost myself in the thrill of the Duel. Isn't it astounding…? How such a simple card game can bring people together… or force them apart?"

She twirled on her heel, the light of the Girls' Dorm shining behind her, signaling the end of their joined journey. "Tonight was rather enlightening for me, Konami-kun. You showed me a wonderful time. But as with all things, this escapade too, must come to an end. The night draws to a close… and soon Kami will be suspicious of my whereabouts… I really should be getting back."

"Wait, before you go." Konami called after her, stopping her mid-step. "Why are you so focused on me defeating Kami? That woman… she's your friend, isn't she?"

"Friend…?" Wisteria wondered, gazing up into the night sky as she pondered the question. "Are we…? Kami and I… our relationship has always been… complicated. Her family's corporation… you know of it, correct? The Virtual Game Company SIC. As it turns out, my father happens to work for them. Nothing extravagant mind you. The Lead Designer... or so he claims. It's a simple job for a gentle man. Short, and sweet. Just like him. But the thing is Konami-kun... people like him are far too easy to take advantage of." Wisteria trailed off for a moment, as if wondering how much she should say. "I don't know about you, Konami-kun, but family is everything to me. You've heard the rumors, no? Of Kami using her family's influence to have her way... Knowing that my father's career lies in the hands of such a selfish, vile woman… I don't know what I'd do if he were fired because of a mere whim on her part. That's why, the day I came here I decided. Even if it meant being her lapdog, even if it meant despising myself for the next four years and selling my soul to the devil herself… I would put up with it, for my _father's_ sake. I was so silly. I thought that if it was me, I could do anything. That if it were me, I could change her, if only a bit. Make her a better person, a _decent_ person… I thought my task impossible. But then, I saw you. A Slifer, who so easily defeated Bastion Misawa, the Top of our class. A Slifer, who against all odds, overcame Kami in the Girls' Dorms last night. At that moment, I knew. If anyone could humble her, if anyone could show her that she's not above the rest of us… it was you."

So that was it, Konami thought. Wisteria, this girl, sought to make Kami a better person. For what? The sake of her family…? The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, though one question nagged at Konami's mind.

"Why not Jaden?" he asked, knowing of the boy's battle with Crowler. "Why me, instead of him?"

"Jaden Yuki... is unreliable." Wisteria stated slowly, choosing her words carefully. "A skilled Duelist, certainly. But his attitude… he is far too laid-back, carefree. I couldn't possibly lay my fate in the hands of such a man… but you…" Wisteria stared at the boy fiercely, her red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "I can trust you."

The two fell into silence, hearing only the small ripples of the lake beside them. In the end, Wisteria was the one to smile sadly and turn away.

"I had fun tonight, Konami-kun." She said, certain to remind the boy of that fact. "If things had been different... Well… You wished for another Duel with me, did you not? Then, maybe someday… after your Duel with Kami…"

Konami nodded. "It's a date."

Wisteria laughed. "Quite. Goodnight Konami-kun, and good luck with your Promotion Duel."

She turned and disappeared inside the dorm, leaving Konami outside, and alone. Staring up into the sky, Konami frowned. It seemed like he understood Wisteria just a little bit more… but something she had said irked him.

"…_Just what in the world is a __Promotion Duel?"_

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Nine**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

"Promotion Duels!" Crowler croaked, waving his hand wildly throughout the classroom. "Your chance to grasp greatness! As you all know, we will be having a test in this class tomorrow! Of course, this will be broken into both a Written Exam, and a Practical Exam!"

It was morning. As usual, Crowler had managed to drain the life out of his students with his endless yapping, though he swore it was for a good cause. Konami too, lay tired at his desk, listening to the man's spiel as he explained what it seemed much of the class already knew. Konami would have listened, but he knew that Bastion was more than likely to repeat it all to him after class either way.

"Two students of the same dorm shall be paired up, and the winner, depending on the skills displayed over the course of the Duel… _may_ just get a chance to rank up, and be promoted to the next highest Dorm! I'm certain I don't need to remind you that the order is as follows: Slifer at the lowest, Ra in the middle, and my Obelisks at the top!"

Konami grunted at the words. _"So they have enough room to promote students but not enough to provide me with a room huh?"_ he thought, unusually bitter at the thought.

"Of course, not all of you shall be facing students of the same dorm. As per the class's request, I _personally _saw to the addition of a few… curve balls so to speak. Mr. Kodo, Ms. Umino, please rise!"

The sudden shout snapped much of the class, including Konami, to attention, and swiftly, both Kami and he rose from their seats.

"Now, look upon them class, for they shall be the first of two very special Duels we'll be having!" Crowler laughed. "After all, what better way to show Obelisk superiority than having one of my own Duel one of those Slifer Slackers?!"

Much of the class sweatdropped at Crowler's blatant hatred, though none made any move to comment. At least, not until Bastion decided to speak.

"So it's true then!" the Ra Yellow exclaimed, folding his hands in delight. "A cross-Dorm Duel is going to occur during these Promotion Duels?"

"That's right!" Crowler grinned, "And they aren't the only ones! Mr. Princeton and Jaden here will be dueling each other as well!"

"What?!" Jaden exclaimed, "Whoa, that's news to me! Not that I'm complaining. I've been wanting to wrap things up with Chazz for a while now, isn't that right Syrus?"

"Yeah…"

Crowler's grin grew even further. "Well then, it seems you're in luck! I know Chancellor Sheppard just wouldn't accept it if Kami and Konami were the only students allowed to Duel students from other Dorms… so I pulled a few strings and made sure you and Chazz were allowed to have a go at it as well!"

"Looks like we'll finally be able to finish our Duel from last time, Slacker!" Chazz smirked, glancing down powerfully at the Slifer beneath him.

"Heh, yeah, but I hope you're ready Chazz, cause this time there won't be anywhere for you to run when my Flame Wingman gets a hold of you!" Jaden retorted, a wide grin pulling at the boy's face.

"What was that…? Don't forget I had you beat Slacker! The only one out of places to run will be you!" Chazz declared, narrowing his eyes eagerly at the thought of besting the Fusion-user in public.

Crowler smiled secretly, but decided to step in before a real argument could break out.

"Yes, yes! I'm certain we're all eager to see Jaden lose!" he snapped, "However, I'm afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow! For now, you should all review your notes and prepare for the Written Examinations that will take place beforehand!" he gestured for Kami and Konami to sit down, prompting the two to do just that. Crowler returned to his desk moments after, and while gazing upon the silent class one more time, he suddenly shouted yet again. "It's time to see how well you all have been studying! Now, Chumley! What's the Spell Speed of a Field Spell Card?!"

The larger set boy stood up in surprise, sweat pooling down his face nervously as he glanced around the room for support. "Uh… Erm… the Spell Speed of a Field Card is… uh…?"

He locked eyes with Bastion for the briefest of moments. Sighing, the Ra Yellow held up a single finger covertly. Konami's lips twitched upon noticing the motion. So it seemed that Bastion, for all his smarts, wasn't above helping the little people after all. Not that Konami had doubted him before.

"It's… one?" Chumley stuttered out, his sweat pooling beneath him in hopes that he was right.

"Hmph! So you have been studying." Crowler grunted, disappointed. "Very well! I hope you all paid attention! That question is going to be on the Exam!"

The class groaned once more, wondering how long they'd have to endure the torture of a Crowler Review Day. It wasn't until a half hour later that Crowler finally gave up on his quest to humiliate the Slifers and finally released the class to do as they pleased. For Konami, that meant sleeping in the safety of his dorm room, or at least attempting to. Of course, when it came to his rest, fate always seemed to have other plans. He had only just risen from his desk, fully prepared to leave when someone felt the urge to impose upon the boy yet again.

"Mr. Kodo!" Crowler exclaimed, approaching Konami swiftly as he left his desk. "I hope I'm not butting in with whatever plans you may have for this evening, but I'm afraid I must ask you accompany me to the Chancellor's Office at once! That includes you as well, Ms. Umino!"

Konami blinked. The Chancellor's Office…? As in the Chancellor of the Academy? In an instant, Konami's face paled. What reason did the Chancellor have for calling him in, and Kami too for that matter? Had Wisteria gone against her word and reported him? A suspicious glance to the girl's location dulled the thought. She was sticking by Kami's side like usual, though there were no signs of foul play. Konami was sure that if that had been the case, the two women wouldn't have been able to resist smirking at him in some fashion. But if it wasn't them… then what…?

"Please Mr. Kodo," Crowler repeated, his face twisting into an impatient glare as Kami made her way toward them. "I do not have all day! One would think that your stay in the Obelisk Dorms would negate any Slifer tendencies from arising, but it seems even elegance is not enough to stop a Slifer from slacking! Now, get up!"

Crowler made to slap his folders on the boy's desk, but Konami had already risen, adjusting his cap to mask his emotions.

"Finally!" Crowler groaned in relief. "Now, follow me! I'd like to get this meeting over with so I can get back to tormentin- I mean, _tutoring_ Jaden! Yes, that's right!"

Konami sighed quietly at the man's words. He didn't know who Crowler thought he was kidding. Everyone knew he was out to get Jaden. The real question was why the "Doctor" insisted on hiding it. Regardless, it was a matter for another time. With a frown, Konami was led by the Professor from the classroom with Kami in tow.

The two students made no motion to speak with one another, though Konami noticed the curiosity in Kami's eyes as well. It seemed she really hadn't been the cause for the sudden house call, though that fact only served to heighten Konami's own suspicions. If the meeting hadn't been called to address the incident at the Girls' Dorm, then what did it entail? It didn't seem like they'd have to wait long to find out.

Crowler's quick pace had driven them through several halls within minutes, and though they attracted much of the student body's attention, Konami could not disagree with the fact that they had reached their destination quickly either. Without a word Crowler pushed the doors open, and they all stepped inside.

The first thing Konami noticed was how large the room was. Certainly, the buildings and classrooms of Duel Academy were something in and of themselves, but the Chancellor's Office, built for a single man… Konami believed it could have been used to put the five back in five-star.

The glass windows took up an entire side of the room, and through it Konami knew he had a view of nearly all of Duel Academy. Plants and pictures made up the decoration, and while many of the greenery present appeared exotic, the room captured the feel quite nicely.

It was, all in all, the perfect vacation room, and in the center of it all, sat Chancellor Sheppard.

"Welcome," the man greeted happily, a carefree smile present on his face. "You all made it here alright I hope?"

"Quite so!" Crowler exclaimed, gesturing his two students forward before closing the door behind him. "I brought them to you Chancellor, just as you asked! Mr. Kodo and Ms. Umino, at your service."

"Yes, I can see that." The man laughed, "Now, that's all I need from you Doctor, you're free to leave whenever you wish."

"R-Really…? You don't need me to stay?" Crowler asked in surprise. though his expression grew delighted at the words. "Well then, if you're certain."

The man turned and made to flee before the Chancellor could change his mind. Yet again Konami heard the sound of the door opening and slamming shut, no doubt signaling the man's exit. Off to torment some Slifers, Konami assumed.

"So?" Kami questioned, folding her arms impatiently. "What's this about? I have quite a bit of studying to do for the Promotion Duels tomorrow so I'd appreciate it if we could hurry this up!"

"Ah, of course. I'll try not to keep you." The Chancellor chuckled. "It's just not every month that we have Obelisks and Slifers face off against one another you see? I merely wished to ensure neither of you were in over your heads prior to the Duel's occurrence."

"We aren't." Konami stated simply. "We both knew what we were getting ourselves into the moment it was decided."

Kami wrinkled her nose in disgust, presumably at Konami for having spoken for her. "That's right!" she piped up, fully intent on speaking for herself. "I have nothing to fear from this Slifer!"

"Likewise." Konami replied with a simple shrug of the shoulders.

Chancellor Sheppard gazed between the two of them before bursting out into joyous laughter. "Indeed! Then it seems I have nothing to worry about! I'm sure the two of you shall put on quite a show for us."

"I'm sorry, us?" Kami asked, raising a brow ever so slightly.

"Oh? Crowler didn't tell you?" the Chancellor chuckled. "The Promotion Duels are a good time to expand the Academy's influence. It is common for many from the mainland to tune in from time to time, if only to see what our new Duelists have to offer. An Obelisk/Slifer showdown is not something shown too often, so you can expect plenty of publicity on the subject."

"Hmph. If that's the case, shouldn't Chazz Princeton and that Slacker Yuki be here to hear this as well?" Kami asked, tossing a hand through her hair. "If what Doctor Crowler says is true, then they'll be dueling each other in the Promotion Duels as well!"

"Yes, yes." Chancellor Sheppard smiled. "I intend to have this conversation with them as well sometime during today, though I must speak with the Doctor about suddenly changing the Duel Schedule…"

Inwardly, Konami breathed a sigh of relief. At any rate, it didn't seem like the Chancellor had any intention on questioning them about that night. Relaxing, Konami straightened his back, deciding to join in on the conversation.

"About that…" he asked, trailing off as the Chancellor's eyes met his.

"Ah, you'd like to know when your Duel is to occur correct?" the Chancellor guessed correctly, earning a nod from both students. "Well then, let's take a peek shall we?"

Smiling, the man spun about in his chair, typing rapidly on his computer's keyboard to bring up a myriad of screens and displays.

"Hmm…" he murmured, leaning in and squinting his eyes closely. "Kodo and Umino… Kodo and Umino… ah! Here we are, your Duel is scheduled at Twelve Noon, Fifteen minutes past the hour. In other words, your Duel is tomorrow, at 12:15. Strange, that seems to be the same time Crowler scheduled Jaden and Chazz's Duel as well. I suppose separate arenas will have to be used…"

"So I won't be able to see him Duel after all it seems. Pity, though dueling after noon gives me plenty of time to finish my studies! I suppose I'll be up late tonight..." Kami decided. "I certainly hope _you'll_ do the same, Slifer. I'm afraid I simply wouldn't look good if I defeated you after you already failed the Written Examination. At least try to pass?"

She tossed her hair once more, before turning on her heel to march away. Konami said nothing, surprised at the sheer audacity of the girl, to suddenly walk out in the middle of a conversation with the Chancellor himself.

Luckily, it seemed the man took no insult from the motion.

"She certainly is a lively one, isn't she?" the man asked instead, glancing at Konami with a twinkle in his eye. "I just realized, we haven't been properly introduced have we? I am Chancellor Sheppard, as you well know by now."

"Konami." The Slifer greeted, realizing that no, he really hadn't taken the time to visit the Chancellor personally.

Oh, Konami had heard of him, certainly. It was hard not to, what with Crowler having to report to the man daily, and nearly everyone he ran into over the past few days threatening to report him to the man for whatever reason. It was rather tiring, though being honest… the man wasn't what Konami had expected.

Bald and bearded? Yes. Large and well-dressed? Yes. Kindly and carefree? No.

"Well then, Konami," Chancellor Sheppard laughed humorously. "Tell me, how have you enjoyed your stay at Duel Academy thus far? Have you met any interesting people? Made any good friends?"

"A… few." Konami supposed, rubbing the back of his cap in deep thought.

"I see. That is fine too, in its own way." The Chancellor explained, curling his fingers together beneath his chin. "It is better to have a few true friends, than a wide array of none."

Konami wasn't certain, but he could've sworn he'd seen the Chancellor's eyes glance toward a flower pot at that moment.

"Well!" the man said joyously, catching Konami off guard. "I think I've taken you away from your studies long enough! You had better run along now dear boy, especially if you intend to defeat Kami again tomorrow."

He gestured Konami out the room in a fit of eager laughter, and it wasn't until Konami had finally left that it hit what the man had said. Konami's eyes went wide, and he turned around to stare at the office's closed doors suspiciously.

"Defeat Kami… again…?" he asked aloud, his thoughts confirmed.

Somehow... someway... the Chancellor knew.

**-GX-**

**Konami trekked back to the Girls' Dorm cautiously, searching for any members of security suddenly calling for his expulsion…**

**-GX-**

"Welcome back." Yuma greeted upon seeing Konami emerge from the building's front entrance. The girl was seated in one of the lounge's couches, and an open book was clasped tightly between her hands. "Everyone's up and about, talking about your Duel tomorrow… it's strange, but there are just as many interested in Chazz's too. Since they're at the same time and all, I wonder how many people will show up."

Konami said nothing, stepping past the girl on his way to the stairs.

"H-Huh?!" Yuma glanced at him in surprise, rising from her spot to follow the boy swiftly. "Hey, you shouldn't just ignore people like that! Don't you know it's rude…?"

"…He knows…" Konami whispered, shivering as he came to a stop at the foot of the stairs.

"Huh? Who knows what?" Yuma asked warily.

Konami shook his head. Yuma wouldn't understand what he was talking about anyway, and since she was technically a girl, Konami preferred to keep it that way.

"…Never mind. Are you studying?"

"Huh? Oh!" Yuma quickly hid the book she was carrying behind her back, earning a surprised stare from Konami. "Uh… something like that."

Konami turned back to face her fully, his eyes studying her cautious expression intently. "What do you mean?"

"It's… nothing important!" Yuma exclaimed, taking a step back and waving her hands in front of her. Of course, that meant the book she'd been hiding was back in full view as well. She gasped, the sudden shock of seeing it causing her to drop it from her hands. She'd moved to pick it up, but Konami was faster.

"_A Million Ways to Entertain Friends._" He read, his surprised look growing ever stronger as he glanced between it and Yuma. "Studying social skills?"

"S-Shut up!" Yuma shouted, snatching the book back from her hands and hiding it once more. "It's none of your business!"

"Alright." Konami shrugged, turning back toward the stairs.

Yuma's eyes widened in shock. "H-Huh?! Hold on, what do you mean, "Alright?!" Just like that…?!"

"You said it wasn't my business." Konami said, climbing the stairs step by step.

"Most people would have interrogated me about it." Yuma told him with a glare, following him suspiciously. "So why are you different?"

"I'm not." Konami assured her. "Well, maybe I am. That being said, the only difference is... I'm busy."

"Your Duel with Kami, right?" Yuma remembered. "Are you ready?"

"Don't know yet. Her Deck… it'll be different. Stronger." Konami predicted, stopping on the stairwell yet again.

"Stronger…? Are you saying you've seen it before?" Yuma asked. "That's pretty shady, Konami. Sneaking in to take a peek at someone's Deck…"

"I didn't." Konami told her. "She showed it to me, of her own volition."

Not a complete lie, but not the complete truth either. At any rate, it caught Yuma by surprise.

"H-Huh? She did?!" the girl exclaimed, reeling back in surprise. "Well… she is pretty arrogant… does she really think her win is already determined…?"

"No. She'll have made it stronger by tomorrow." Konami repeated.

"So you want to make yours stronger too?" Yuma guessed.

Not saying anything, Konami nodded. He trusted his Deck as it was, but it never hurt to be sure.

Yuma smiled mysteriously at the declaration, and she followed Konami back to his room.

"Well then," she said, "lay out your Dragons. Let's see what we can do."

* * *

**-Chapter Nine-**

* * *

**END**


	10. Evilest X With A Twist

Konami awoke with a frown.

He and Yuma had been up late into the night working on Konami's Deck, but in the end, only several cards were added in. It had seemed like a waste of a good night, and for what…? Konami's eyes narrowed as he remembered, his mind finally catching up with him as he rose from his bed.

"The Promotion Duels…" Konami mused. "They're today."

Quickly, he glanced at his alarm clock, ensuring he hadn't overslept. Luckily, despite his late night, he had once again risen rather early in the morning. There was still at least an hour until classes began, meaning he had plenty of time to shower and prepare. Still, despite the realization that he had quite some time left, Konami couldn't help but feel… distressed. Something was missing, he knew. He just didn't know what.

"Yata-Garasu…" he realized, glancing through the window outside. "I haven't seen it in a while… did something happen?"

He still had the card, of course. It was beneath Konami to throw such an item away, regardless of how ill-met or unfitting it was. It was kept safely on his person, where it would remain; at least until Konami bought a suitable card trunk at any rate.

As he pondered the Duel Spirit's absence, Konami heard the unmistakable sound of his door opening. He turned, not at all surprised by what he found.

"Duel Spirits…" the old man spoke softly, wheeling himself inside Konami's room. The door snapped shut behind him. "Such fleeting creatures they are. Here one moment… gone the next. It's a wonder they appear to us at all."

"Have you ever been accompanied by one?" Konami asked, glancing at the man curiously.

"Oh, I'm sure there were a few." The man replied, smiling mysteriously. "I'm sure I could tell you, but now is not the time for such a discussion. The time draws near… your fated battle with Kami is close, no?"

"Yeah." Konami nodded, moving past the man into the bathroom.

As he closed the door behind him, the old man continued to speak. "While it is true the Duel Energy on the Island will be strong today, there is something more that hides in the dark. It would seem that something is amiss. You would do well to take care in your battles today, child."

"Battles…?" Konami questioned, pulling his uniform on over his shirt. "As in plural…?"

"That is correct." The old man said. "One on the Field, and one that is not. It seems your mettle shall truly be tested this day. I wonder… will you be able to survive the storm… or will its deadly waves swallow you whole…? As always, I watch… anticipating its end."

Konami frowned. As usual, the man had managed to put him in a state of unease. All the talk about Duel Energy and Storms… Konami paused. That night, the night he dueled Kami for the first time… the old man had said the Duel Energy was strong as well. Was there a connection…?

Swiftly, Konami snapped the door back to his room open, intending to ask. Unfortunately, though expected, the man was gone.

"Figures… he always disappears when I have new questions." Konami thought aloud, gazing through the window one last time. "The Duel Energy is strong huh…?" he tightened his hold on his Deck and slid it into his holster. "…he has no idea."

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc One – Chapter Ten**

* * *

**Lord of the Red**

* * *

"So, how long did you spend preparing for the Written Exam?" Bastion asked, accompanying Konami and Yuma toward the Classroom Building. "I myself already went over the notes six times, though I'm sure I can manage to do it once more before class begins."

"Why am I not surprised? Actually, no, I take that back. I'd have expected a Ra like you to have gone over the notes twice as many times as you claim to have, Bastion." Yuma sighed. "Besides, you treat this like it's some kind of Final Exam. They're not going to ask us anything _too_ hard on the Written Portion. Besides, everyone's just looking forward to the Practical anyway.

"W-What?" Bastion blinked, astonished. "Truly? So you mean I spent all that time quizzing myself for nothing?!"

"Well, I wouldn't say for nothing," Yuma said. "Now you're just sure to pass whatever crude test Crowler gives you. Have fun with that by the way. After all, unlike you two I have Miss Fontaine for homeroom, and she's not nearly as strict as "Doctor" Crowler."

"T-Then I demand a transfer at once!" Bastion exclaimed.

Yuma just smiled, knowing full well what he meant by transfer but responding differently anyway. Swiftly, she placed herself ahead of Konami, pushing him playfully back into Bastion's shoulder before waving the two away. "There you go Bastion!" she said, going on ahead. "You two have fun now, I need to hustle if I'm going to get a Melon Sandwich before making it to class!"

"O-Oi!" Bastion exclaimed, stumbling backward as Konami's person was thrown into him. "That woman…! Honestly, who does she think she is?!"

"A friend." Konami suspected, dusting off the parts of his uniform that had collided with Bastion's form. "It doesn't matter anyway. It was only a shove."

"Only a shove huh…?" Bastion asked suspiciously, "Well then, if you insist I suppose I have no option but to let the matter drop, especially since there are other things to be concerned about. Are you ready for your Duel with Kami? She's not likely to be an easy opponent you know. I hear she's got a rather nasty WATER Deck-"

"I know." Konami interrupted. "Fish and Sea Serpents are her preferred Type. Her strategy revolves around making use of Field Spells to increase the potency of her monster's effects, and once she has enough… she punishes the opponent until they admit defeat. It's a steady tactic, but the weakness lies in the required presence of Spell Cards. If I can get rid of those, I have her beat."

"Well, it certainly seems as though you're prepared for this Duel." Bastion proclaimed. "However… I can't help but wonder where you got that information… and whether or not she has similar info on you."

"I'm sure she does, and if she's smart she'll have put it to use." Konami murmured, knowing that just as he had seen her Deck, so too had Kami seen his.

"H-Hey! HEY!" a worried voice called out behind them.

Slowing their ascent toward the building, Bastion and Konami turned back, only to find Syrus sprinting toward them quickly.

"Hm? It's that Truesdale boy!" Bastion said in surprise. "What was his name again…? Sirius?"

"Syrus." Konami corrected, watching the boy stumble in near-exhaustion. "Did he run here all the way from the Slifer Dorm…? He should've left earlier…"

"Ha… Ha…!" Syrus breathed, walking toward the pair slowly before doubling over to catch his breath. "Hey… there…"

"Are you alright?" Bastion asked, "You seem rather… out of it."

"I'll… be fine…" Syrus breathed, "But… Jaden… won't be…! He was… still sleeping when I left the Dorm!"

Konami blinked. "He was? Guess he won't be showing up for the Written Exam then."

"That's all you have to say?!" Syrus asked, reeling back in surprise. "He's gonna flunk out at this rate!"

"It'll be his own fault if he does." Bastion input quietly. "Who on earth would think of oversleeping on a test day? He must not have his education in mind. Oh well, I suppose he'll simply have to make it up on the Practical. He has shown rather unique dueling talent after all, so I'm sure he'll be fine."

Though he said nothing, Konami nodded in agreement. He had seen Jaden in action, having watched the boy defeat Alexis, the proclaimed Queen of Obelisk Blue. Given the story involving Crowler as well, Konami was certain that Jaden had what it took to come out victorious… if he showed up. Sighing, he made to continue walking to class, having no intention to be late himself. Jaden had always seemed like a hands-on person anyway, he added with a thought; in all honesty, Konami just couldn't see the Slifer passing a Written Exam, unless it was filled with nothing but questions on Fusion techniques.

The warning bell suddenly sounded off, and behind him, Bastion and Syrus yelled in surprise. Quickly sprinting past Konami, the two raced inside. Konami followed quietly. There was no need to rush. He still had five minutes to reach class.

"Oh, well, if it isn't Konami." Alexis's voice called out to the boy, the girl covertly appearing beside him as she too walked toward Crowler's class. "Study hard for the test today?"

"A little." Konami shrugged, wondering why everyone felt the need to ask that. "You?"

"I'll admit I didn't study as hard as I could have, but I do think I know enough to pass." Alexis admitted. "Crowler may have a few curve balls in store for us, as he likes to say, but I think most of the class is prepared for what lies ahead. Speaking of which, how's your Deck faring? All geared up and ready for your Duel with Kami?"

"You aren't the first to ask that either…" Konami mumbled beneath his breath before moving to answer. "As well as I can be. It's all up to the cards now."

"Right. Good luck then, I'd watch, but something tells me I should keep an eye on Chazz and Jaden's Duel instead. No offense to you of course!" she added with wide eyes, realizing what she said could have sounded like an insult.

"Right." Konami murmured. "Theirs is at the same time too isn't it…? The Chancellor said something about that…"

"Yeah. Anyway, we're just about here, so I should go on and find Jasmine and Mindy. Good luck on your tests." Alexis told him, parting ways at the room's entrance to join her friends.

"You too." Konami called after her, though he doubted she heard. "Well… here we go."

He stepped inside, taking his seat just as the final bell rang.

"Alright settle down, settle down!" Crowler shouted several moments later, strolling into the room with a wide smile on his face. It only grew brighter upon seeing Jaden's empty seat. "The Written Exam will begin momentarily! Heads up, no slouching! Put your Decks away, and prepare yourselves! I am certain this test will challenge you both mentally and physically! Well… _most_ of you anyway!" The man's lips curled into a nasty smirk as he laughed again at Jaden's absence. "Now then, Chumley! Alexis! Pass these out would you?"

"Y-Yes sir!"

"Yes Doctor Crowler."

The two students took the packets with ease, swiftly walking throughout the room to distribute the Written Exam. As one landed in front of him, Konami blinked. One-Hundred questions. Only fifteen of which were Multiple Choice… it seemed he'd have his work cut out for him.

As Crowler finally announced that they could begin, Konami grabbed his pen and flipped through the pages. Much of the material listed had been covered in classes prior to his arrival, though being the first Promotion Exam, none of it was extremely difficult. He clicked his pen quietly, and began to write.

"_What is the Spell Speed of a Field Card…?"_ Konami thought, reading the question in front of him. "_One…"_

He recalled the answer from earlier, knowing that he was right. Smiling softly, he moved down to the next question.

"_What are the six kinds of Spell Cards? Again, easy. Ritual, Continuous, Quick-Play, Field, Normal, and Equip Spell Cards."_ Konami thought, scribbling such on his Exam.

He felt as though his answers were right, and before he knew it, his pen was flying through the exam.

**-GX-**

**Konami took the Written Exam, using his knowledge to the best of his ability…**

**-GX-**

"…and so the Written Examination comes to an end!" Crowler proclaimed dramatically, watching the last student, Syrus, hand in his sloppily written test. "I hope you all studied hard, because everyone will see the results of your hard work soon enough! Now, the Practical will begin shortly, so I suggest you all prepare your Deck for some intense Dueling, especially if you feel as though your Written Exams won't help you…" he giggled childishly, before stacking the papers and leaving the room.

"How exhausting…" Bastion sighed. "I knew all the answers and I still feel as if my soul's been drained dry! Is this the power of Duel Academy's examinations…? I hope the Practical won't be similar."

"Who are you dueling?" Konami asked curiously, glancing down from his seat toward the Ra Yellow.

"Another student of my Dorm of course. Everyone is, save you and Jaden that is." Bastion explained. "What was my opponent's name…? Dmitri I believe? He's a mimic, but I have no need to fear. After all, he couldn't possibly have studied all six of my Decks, and there's another I've yet to unveil as well…" Bastion smirked mysteriously at that, rising from his seat to cool off. "Regardless, I believe my time in this room today has come to an end. You should be leaving as well, Konami. Isn't your Duel with Kami soon?"

Konami blinked, glancing toward the clock.

12:05

Rising from his seat, Konami nodded, realizing that Kami and Wisteria had both already left the premises. "Yeah, I should go."

"Good luck." Bastion said. "I'll be watching from the stands… assuming my own Duel is completed prior to yours."

Nodding once more at the Ra Yellow, Konami grabbed his things and left the classroom. The last thing he wanted was to show up late. There was no telling what would happen if the student body thought he was chickening out at the last minute.

Making his way to the school's public arena, Konami noticed a wide crowd of students heading in the same direction. Were they going to watch…? He had been told numerous times that many were interested in the outcome… or perhaps they merely wanted to watch an Obelisk beat down on a poor "Slifer Slacker"… at any rate, it seemed their Duel wasn't going to be private, something Konami already knew going in.

"Scared?" Kami asked, emerging from the crowd to walk alongside the boy.

"Funny." Konami retorted, falling back to a line he'd heard many times. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Kami scoffed wryly, tossing a hand through her hair as they continued toward the stadium. "As if I have anything to be scared about. You may believe that this Duel is all yours, Slifer, but know that my Deck is more than ready for whatever tricks you have prepared!"

"Mine is too." Konami replied, before glancing around curiously. "Where's your friend, Wisteria?"

Another toss of the hair.

"As if she should have to waste her time watching me defeat you!" Kami exclaimed. "I'm afraid she had more important things to do. Something about a schedule to keep… regardless, what she is doing is no concern of yours, Slifer Scum!"

"Sorry I asked." Konami grunted.

The two came to a stop just outside the arena doors, both of them hearing the noise of the crowds within. Evidently much of the school was interested in their Promotion Duel, though just how many students had attended was a mystery to everyone involved. Briefly Konami wondered if Jaden had a similar showing, before shaking his head free of the thought. He needed to focus on beating Kami. He could hear all about Jaden's Duel after the fact.

"It's time." Konami murmured quietly, prompting a single, solemn nod from Kami.

They entered the arena, and were blinded by a flash of light.

"Welcome!" Professor Satyr proclaimed furiously, "To Duel Academy's first Cross-Dorm Promotion Duel!"

For an instant, the two students wondered why Crowler was not the one doing the talking. Then they remembered who else had a "Special" Duel to participate in.

"As per the Chancellor's orders, today we have two special students partaking in a high-stakes Duel!" the Ra Yellow headmaster cheered, gesturing the two to opposite ends of the arena. "On one hand, we have our newly transferred Slifer Red Student, Konami Kodo!"

The Slifers, and several Ra Yellows cheered upon hearing the boy's name and title, both groups wanting him to help bring the Obelisk Blues down a peg. Many of the Blue students said nothing, content to simply watch in silence until an outcome was decided.

"And opposing him, Obelisk Blue's Blue Beauty, Kami Umino!"

The girl tossed her hair one last time after reaching the arena, hearing much of the Obelisk Blue males swooning at her appearance.

"You certainly seem to have some fans." Konami muttered, raising his Duel Disk warily as he spoke.

"It comes with the riches I'm afraid, not that a Slifer like you would know anything about that." Kami smirked, activating her own Disk. "Still, I don't hate it… watching these Obelisks cheer for me."

"Wonder if they'll still cheer if they find out you've already lost to a red like me." Konami thought aloud.

"Fortunately, we'll never find out!" Kami snapped, incensed at Konami's words. "Enough talk! It's time we gave these people what they're all waiting for!"

The two of them glared at each other, and Professor Satyr quickly leapt out the center of the arena with a single, loud cry.

**-"DUEL!"-**

**KONAMI VS KAMI**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**KAMI – 4000 LP**

"Well, you know what they say…" Konami muttered.

"Yes!" Kami agreed, taking a powerful stance. "He who strikes first, wins! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN ONE – KAMI**

"I was actually going for "Ladies first…."" Konami admitted.

"Hmph, cute, but I'm afraid flattery won't save you here!" Kami exclaimed. "I'm activating the Field Spell – A Legendary Ocean! With this, I'll be able to decrease the Level of all WATER monsters in our hands by One, and increase the Attack and Defense Points of all WATER monsters on the Field by Two-Hundred Points!"

She placed the Field Card in its designated spot swiftly, watching the arena projectors around them recreate the grand, underwater city Konami had seen once before. Kami smirked throughout the ordeal, her thoughts hidden from Konami. Still, it seemed her turn was far from over.

"…and just in case you decide to pull any tricks…" Kami smirked, "I'll activate this! Field Barrier! With this card on the Field, you're unable to select my Legendary Ocean as a target, and no new Field Spells can be activated either!"

"Hm… shutting down my Molten Destruction tactic already huh…?" Konami murmured beneath his breath.

"Of course, I'm not quite done yet!" Kami explained. "I have one more thing to do before I end my Turn! As I've already told you, the effect of my Legendary Ocean reduces the Level of all WATER monsters by One. That means, that a Level Five monster becomes a Level _Four_ monster, which means… it can be summoned without a Tribute! Come on out now, Cyber Shark!"

The Field roared with energy as a cybernetic, thick-skinned fish materialized on the ocean floor. Snapping its jaws hungrily, it rippled about the area, before turning its gaze upon Konami and letting loose a horrible roar.

Cyber Shark – (WATER/Fish) – LV4 – (2300/2200)

The crowd, or at least the Obelisks within the crowd, cheered. Summon a high-attack monster on the first turn was something they seemed to be known for, and Kami had demonstrated such a tactic brilliantly. With Cyber Shark on the Field, Konami would be hard-pressed to defend himself, making the Duel that much easier for the woman.

Hearing the roaring praise around her, Kami laughed.

"So?" she asked, gazing upon Konami as if he were an insect. "Feeling scared yet?"

"Not quite." Konami answered honestly, staring down Kami's lone monster warily.

"Oh? Then perhaps this will rile you up a bit." Kami replied. "I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn."

Subtly, Konami grimaced. Not only a powerful monster, but several cards already in her back row as well?! It seemed Kami's Deck had indeed changed, if only slightly. Still, having no idea what the face-down cards might be, Konami knew he'd have to be careful. He steadied himself, narrowing his eyes in determination before making his move.

"My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"Tsk…" he muttered, frowning at his hand. _"I'll have to play defensively for now…"_

He grabbed a monster, before raising it to his Duel Disk and slapping it down roughly. "I'll set a monster down in Defense Position!"

The Slifers in the crowd groaned at the words.

"Ho…? On the run already are you?" Kami smirked. "Good. It's time you realized the difference between us, Slifer Scum! I have no intention of giving you free reign over the Field…"

"Yeah… I can see that." Konami muttered.

It was obvious from the get-go that Kami had no plans on cutting him any slack, and honestly, Konami didn't expect her to. What point was a Duel where the will of either player was lacking…? It wouldn't be fun at all. Despite that… Konami grimaced. His Field was rather weak in comparison to Kami's, and knowing that she'd be capable of delivering an attack the next turn certainly didn't help matters. Scowling, he grabbed one more card from his hand.

"I'll set one more card face-down, and end my Turn!"

The jeers of the crowd grew louder, but Konami ignored them. He was focused entirely on the Duel, knowing that a single mistake could cost him everything. There was no room to play around. Kami had seen to that.

"Hmf, I knew it was a fluke." Kami smirked, both of them knowing full well what she was referring to. "Nonetheless, if you're going to play such a defensive hand… then it seems I'll just have to hit you so hard you won't be able to get back up! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KAMI**

"It's time!" Kami shouted immediately, swooping her arm forward. "I'll have my Cyber Shark attack that face-down monster of yours!"

The cybernetic fish snarled at the command, its jaws widening as a glimmering light glowed from deep within its bowel. In a flourishing movement, a beam of similarly colored light leapt from the creature's lips, slamming down upon Konami's face-down monster card with full force.

The Slifer grinned.

"Sorry Kami, but the monster you just destroyed… was my Troop Dragon!" Konami revealed, displaying the artwork of the twin dragons for all to see. "When he gets destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon another Troop Dragon to the Field from my Deck! In other words… you may have just destroyed one of my monsters, but another will be right back out to take its place!"

Konami smiled, revealing the Troop Dragon drawn from his Deck before slapping it onto the Field in Defense Position. Swiftly, golden light erupted throughout the Field, and a pair of green dragons armed to the teeth with armor and weapons materialized.

Troop Dragon – (WIND/Dragon) – LV2 – (700/800)

In response to his sudden move, the Slifers around them began to cheer. Of course, Kami simply couldn't let this be. With a frown, she folded her arms impatiently, moving to explain the obvious.

"That may be so, Slifer, but that simply means our positions haven't changed! Your Troop Dragon still doesn't have the Attack Points necessary to overcome my Cyber Shark, and with the power of my Field Barrier, you can't even think about destroying my Legendary Ocean!"

"You're right… but while it's true I can't destroy your Legendary Ocean… your Field Barrier itself doesn't have such protection, does it?" Konami asked with a smirk, prompting Kami to widen her eyes.

"What the-?! What do you mean by that?!" Kami exclaimed.

"You'll find out soon enough," Konami started, before correcting himself. "No, this turn in fact! Because it's my move now, Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

"And to start things off, I'll get right to the point!" Konami exclaimed, revealing his face-down card. "With the Dragon Magic – Stamping Destruction! It allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the Field, and deliver its controller Five-Hundred Points of damage!"

"W-What did you just say?!" Kami hissed, recalling the card from their first Duel.

"I think you heard me just fine." Konami said, much to the cheer of the Slifers in the arena. "Go, Troop Dragon! Destroy her Field Barrier, and show her that you're not as weak as she thinks!"

The two armored dragons roared at the words, the power of Konami's Spell Card flowing through them. Charging past Kami's Cyber Shark with ease, the two dragons pierced through the upright Field Barrier with their weapons, prompting a sounding explosion to pulse throughout the arena.

Kami and Konami both skidded back from the destruction, their arms raised to shield their eyes as the Troop Dragon duo quickly flew back to their proper side of the Field. As they landed, the two dragons glared at Kami hatefully.

**KAMI – 3500 LP**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

"Tsk…!" Kami hissed, lowering her arm to squint through the dust. "I know better than to get all worked up from a single attack, Slifer! You'll have to do better than that if you want to beat me!"

"Oh I intend to!" Konami promised, throwing his hand to the sky. "Destroying your Field Barrier wasn't the only reason I made use of Troop Dragon's effect, Kami!"

"Oh?" the blue-haired Obelisk scowled, waiting for Konami to further explain his motives.

"Troop Dragon also provides me with one other boon, a monster presence on my side of the Field!" Konami exclaimed, grabbing another card from his hand swiftly while he spoke.

"?!"

"Here and now, a single light shall cut through the tide of everlasting darkness!" Konami chanted, whirling the card about in his fingers before raising it to the sky. "Savior! Avatar! Emerge now faster than the swiftest Unicorn! I tribute my Troop to summon you here, _Dragon of the White Horn!_"

He sent Troop Dragon to the Graveyard, and immediately crashed his held card down upon his Duel Disk. A high-pitched roar echoed through the arena as Konami's chant came to an end, and a black sphere suddenly emerged in the center of the Field. A single white crack suddenly pierced through, and in an instant, the sphere shattered, revealing an all-red dragon bearing a slender, white horn on the tip of its head. It roared once more, making its presence known before settling upon Konami's side of the Field in Attack Position.

White-Horned Dragon – (DARK/Dragon) – LV6 – (2200/1400)

The Slifers cheered harder, as did several of the Ra Yellows present. Many of them recognized the creature as the one Konami used to defeat Bastion on his first day there, and no doubt expected a repeat performance. Of course, Kami had other ideas.

"Hmf, that worn old thing? What good will it do you?" she scoffed, folding her arms with a smirk. "It only has Twenty-Two Hundred Attack Points, and if you haven't forgotten, Slifer, my Cyber Shark still has Twenty-_Three_ Hundred! Your Dragon is just shy of hitting the mark I'm afraid!"

"Oh sure, he might be weaker for the moment," Konami agreed, "but White-Horned Dragon here comes with an effect! See, when he's Normal or Special Summoned, I can select up to Five Spell Cards in my opponent's Graveyard and remove them from play! Then, for each card removed, White-Horned Dragon gains an additional Three-Hundred Attack Points!"

"W-What was that?!" Kami sputtered in surprise. "But just now you destroyed my Field Barrier!"

"That's right," Konami exclaimed, "and that means I can remove it from play to bring my White-Horned Dragon to a whooping Twenty-Five Hundred Attack Points, just enough for him to destroy your Cyber Shark!"

White-Horned Dragon roared in agreement, its body growing larger as the energy from Kami's Field Barrier was sucked inside its glowing horn.

White-Horned Dragon – (DARK/Dragon) – LV6 – (2500/1400)

"Now, it's time we got rid of that hunk of junk!" Konami exclaimed, "Go White-Horned Dragon! Take it out with your _Piledriver!_"

Roaring yet again, the red dragon sprung forward, its horn pointed forward in an attempt to impale Kami's Cyber Shark. Unfortunately, the Obelisk was not as oblivious as before, and made certain to impose this fact upon her opponent.

"Not so fast, scum!" she hissed, activating her face-down. "I have a Trap Card! Forgotten Temple of the Deep! It's a Continuous Trap that allows me to remove from play one Level Four or lower Fish-type monster I control until the End Phase! I'll be using it to stop your Dragon from destroying my Cyber Shark!"

"Hngh…! Good thing you still have your Legendary Ocean to make it a viable target." Konami mused, "But don't forget, by removing your Cyber Shark from play, that means my White-Horned Dragon's attack goes directly to you instead!"

He threw his arm forward in unison with White-Horned Dragon's attack, and Kami stumbled back in pain as White-Horned Dragon tore through her Life Points.

"Ah…!"

**KAMI – 1000 LP**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

The Slifers cheered. It looked like Kami was on the ropes, and Konami had yet to take even a single point of damage! Things were looking grim for the Obelisks.

"_Oi, what the hell was that?!"_

"_You gonna let this slacker run all over you?!"_

"_What in the-?! I want my money back!"_

"_You better know what you're doing, woman!"_

The roars and jeers of the elitist Obelisks rained down upon the arena, bombarding both Konami and Kami with their messages. Kami scoffed, glaring across the Field toward Konami as she rose back to her feet.

"Idiots…! Do they take me for some kind of fool…?!"

"Looks like you're not so high up on the Food Chain anymore." Konami muttered, staring calmly at the woman.

"Hmf! That's what you think, but you seem to have forgotten Konami, Cyber Shark isn't the only high-level monster in my Deck!" Kami smirked, watching as her Cyber Shark returned to the Field as per Forgotten Temple's effect.

"What'd you say…?" Konami asked suspiciously, only for Kami to smile mysteriously in response.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kami shot back snidely, "Well, looks like you're in luck. As it turns out, you're about to find out anyway! My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KAMI**

Glancing at her draw suspiciously, Kami smirked. Konami caught the expression on the girl's face, the eerie smile doing more than sending chills down his spine. Something was coming. He could feel it.

"Well Slifer, I suppose I must congratulate you for making it this far." Kami said with a smirk. "However, from here on out, I'm afraid I must inform you that the Duel will forever be in my favor."

"That's quite a bit of confidence you have there," Konami couldn't help but retort. "I don't suppose you have the cards to back it up?"

"_The_ card." Kami corrected, her smirk growing ever more confident as she spoke. "And as you may have noticed. I do have it. I drew it just now in fact… and I'll be using it promptly to annihilate you _and _that horrific White-Horned Dragon of yours!"

Konami's lone monster roared at the insinuation, though Kami paid it no mind. Raising her drawn card to the sky she too began to chant, the Legendary Ocean around her ripping at its very seams in the wake of untold power.

"By Tributing my Cyber Shark now I give rise to an even greater power!" Kami exclaimed, whipping her card back so quickly that it seemed to glow in the light. ""The seas rip and roar under this lord's command, their gallant waves rising for the whole world to see!" Kami grinned in delight as Cyber Shark vanished in a wave of golden light, a whirlpool of energy taking its place as she continued her speech. "Splash! Annihilate! Swim through the Oceans of Legendary Origin, and strike down all those who would oppose my rule! I summon you now," she slammed her card down upon the Duel Disk, and the whirlpool shattered to reveal a long, slender form. "_Levia-Dragon – Daedalus!_"

The arena shook as the giant blue sea serpent revealed itself, a piercing roar cutting through the Legendary Ocean as it moved. Sleek blue scales swept about the Field, supported only by the sharp appendages Konami could only imagine as legs. Several red fins ran alongside the beast's body, and atop its sinister head, a deadly gem of emerald light shone.

"Levia-Dragon… Daedalus…?" Konami breathed, repeated the name Kami had spoken into the world.

The Sea Serpent roared once more, confirming the name as its own.

Levia-Dragon – Daedalus – (WATER/Sea Serpent) – LV6 – (2800/1700)

Kami laughed as she watched her ace monster take to the Field.

"Well?" she asked, grinning at her opponent victoriously. "How is it? The ace I've been dying to show you…?"

"It's huge." Konami said, "Just as big as your ego I suspect."

"Ngh!" Kami grimaced, not at all amused by Konami's words. "Yes, well you're about to see just how big my ego can get, because just like those worthless peons you call Dragons, my Levia-Dragon Daedalus has an effect!"

Without another word she grabbed the Legendary Ocean on her side of the Field and removed it from her Duel Disk, sliding it into the Graveyard.

"What…? Kami, you just can't send your own Spell to the Graveyard like that! It's against the rules!" Konami shouted.

"Oh but I can," Kami disagreed with a grin, "all because of my Daedalus's effect! You see Slifer, I can send one "Umi" on my side of the Field to the Graveyard, and by doing so, Daedalus here will destroy all cards on the Field except for himself. It's a rather splendid technique, and you're about to witness it firsthand! Go my dragon! Wipe this world away with _Charybdis!_"

Daedalus roared at the command, the ruins of the Legendary Ocean breaking away as a horrific whirlwind appeared in the center of the Field. White-Horned Dragon too was sucked in, and with a great yell, both Konami and Kami's Fields exploded, leaving them both empty, save Daedalus himself.

Levia-Dragon Daedalus – (WATER/Sea Serpent) – LV7 – (2600/1500)

It roared once more knowing its job was complete, its gem gleaming malevolently as it gazed upon the helpless Konami eagerly. The Obelisks cheered, realizing that Kami wasn't as out of the fight as they'd thought. She still had plenty of tricks left it seemed, and it appeared as though she intended to make use of each and every one.

"Now Daedalus! Attack that fool directly!" Kami ordered, sweeping her hand out toward Konami. "_Scylla Strike!_"

Daedalus whipped itself around, its tail slamming into Konami's form and knocking the boy back closer to the edge of the arena. Konami cried out upon impact, his Duel Disk registering the damage received as they crashed back down onto the ground.

**KAMI – 1000 LP**

**KONAMI – 1400 LP**

"Do you see now?! This is the power that you stand against! The true might of Obelisk Blue!" Kami declared, sweeping her hand out elegantly to the side. "You stand no chance against me!"

"Funny…" Konami whispered, "I remember you saying similar things last time… and… I _still_ have more Life Points than you…!"

Kami's face contorted in rage, and she clenched her fist angrily. "Well, we'll see just how long _that_ lasts won't we Slifer scum?! I end my Turn! So go ahead, show me your worst!"

Konami's lips parted into a relieved smile. "Heh…" he muttered weakly. "I just might. My Turn… Draw!"

**TURN SIX – KONAMI**

He glanced at his latest hand, staring at the cards within. Nothing that could immediately overcome Kami's Serpent, but… the cards were there. He just needed to use them wisely.

"Looks like you're in luck… my worst just might be what you get." Konami laughed wryly. "I'll place one monster in face-down Defense Position, another card face-down, and end my Turn!"

Worried sounds filled the stadium. Yet again, the crowd had realized Kami had the Slifer on the run. With a Field destroying card on the Field, was there anything he could do to stop her? It seemed only time would tell.

"My move then!" Kami exclaimed with a grin, drawing her next card. "Draw!"

**TURN SEVEN – KAMI**

"I may not have another Umi to dispose of this Turn," Kami smirked, "but with a monster like Daedalus on the Field I won't need another to begin with! His intense Attack Power is more than enough to destroy whatever monsters you drudge up from your Deck! Still… all these cards in my hand are making me weary… I think I'll set one for now…"

Konami grimaced. While he did in fact have stronger monsters in his Deck, they weren't in the position to be summoned just yet. He needed a play… and fast.

"And then…" Kami continued, moving on with her turn, "I think activate this! The Spell Card Book of Taiyou! It allows me to change one face-down Defense Position into face-up Attack Position! That means that whatever you had planned is ruined, Slifer Scum!"

Konami cried out in surprise as his dragon was suddenly forced from its hiding position, revealing its nature to the world.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV4 – (1400/1100)

"Hmph, like I thought… something weak." Kami smirked. "I think I'll have my Daedalus destroy it! Go my monster! Wipe it out with your _Scylla Strike!_"

The Sea Serpent roared yet again, curling about to slam its tail upon the Field angrily. Konami's card shattered immediately upon impact, but despite his Life Points dropping, the Slifer Red was not to be denied.

**KAMI – 1000 LP**

**KONAMI – 200 LP**

"You really should learn to stop doing that!" Konami shouted, again catching the woman by surprise. "The monster you just destroyed was my Masked Dragon, and he has a thing or two in common with Troop Dragon!"

"What?! Again?!" Kami scowled, glaring at the boy in disgust.

"That's right! Just like my soldiers, when Masked Dragon is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon a Dragon-Type Monster with Fifteen-Hundred or less Attack Points from my Deck! In this case, the only viable option… is my _second_ Masked Dragon, in Defense Position!"

In a pillar of golden light another pale, red-underbelly creature appeared, flapping its hardened wings weakly as it glanced to Konami for advice.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"Mph! Like flies they just keep popping up!" Kami hissed. "I'll kill one, and another just rises to take its place! It's _infuriating!_"

"It's strategy." Konami retorted. "Something you seemed to have gained a little of since our last encounter. But… it looks like that reckless attacking of yours hasn't changed a bit!"

"Ngh..! Well, you can summon all the Dragons you like, it doesn't change the fact that they're all still weaker than my Levia-Dragon – Daedalus!"

"You're right." Konami agreed. "If I don't bust out a heavy hitter soon it's over for me… and everyone else as well."

The crowd began to whisper, wondering what he meant by that.

"What are you blabbering on about?" Kami scowled.

"Don't act like you don't know." Konami muttered. "I've heard all about how you misuse the influence your family's company has! Don't try and deny it now. This Duel is more than just a Slifer dueling an Obelisk. It's about paying you back for all hate and distrust you stir upon those you deem beneath you!"

"Influence?" Kami asked. "I'll repeat, what on earth are you blabbering about? Do you think it so easy? Those with power abuse those without it! It's simply the way things are! Here, and elsewhere! It was one of the first things I learned as the heiress to my family's corporation! One of the things _she_ taught me! But if you think it's so easy to go against the way of the world, then please, go ahead and try! I'll strike you down with everything I have, and teach you once and for all just where a Slifer belongs in this Academy! At the bottom!"

Things had heated up again. Konami clenched his free hand determinedly. It was obvious to everyone. He had no intention on losing to Kami.

"You can act high and mighty all you like Kami, but know this," Konami said, "For every action there is a reaction. One day you'll bite off more than you can chew. You'll lord yourself over the wrong person, and find no one willing to help you. What will you do then I wonder? Will you run and cry to daddy for help?"

"You act as if I rely on my family for everything." Kami scowled. "As though I have nothing to bring to the table myself! You know nothing about me, _Slifer!_" Kami exclaimed. "Lord myself over the wrong person you say? Bite off more than I can chew? No one will help me? Fool! Who do you think you are talking to? I am Kami Umino of the Scott Irvine Corporation! My friends are boundless and limits unmatched! Men and women alike beg for the honor to be associated with me, and you dare lecture me like I'm a petulant child?! Scum! Know your place!"

"Your words prove it." Konami muttered. "Friends aren't bought, Kami. They're earned through respect and shared interests. If you think having someone cater to your every whim and desire is friendship, then you couldn't be more wrong! I won't lie and say that this Duel isn't entertaining or challenging… but know that I could never allow myself to be defeated by someone so blinded from the truth like you! It's my Turn now, Draw!" Konami roared, drawing his next card.

**TURN EIGHT – KONAMI**

"Perfect!" Konami exclaimed, glancing at the new card in his hand. "With this… victory is in my grasp!"

"Hmph! A bluff! Even if you have a Masked Dragon on your side of the Field, no monster you summon could possibly have the attack power to overcome my Daedalus!" Kami declared, confident in her Sea Serpent's ability.

"That's what you think." Konami smirked mysteriously. "I summon Element Dragon to the Field in Attack Position, and due to its effect, it gains an additional Five-Hundred Attack Points thanks to Masked Dragon being of the FIRE Attribute!"

The pink dragon roared as it appeared in a sparkle of golden light, its green wings flapping swiftly down onto the Field where it stood beside its flaming brethren.

Element Dragon – (LIGHT/Dragon) – LV4 – (2000/1200)

"Ha! Idiot! Just as I thought!" Kami exclaimed. "Your monster may have an attack boost now, but Two-Thousand Points still isn't enough to defeat Daedalus! Or have you forgotten how to count?"

"Oh I know how to count Kami," Konami replied. "it's how I know there are now _two_ Dragon-Type monsters on my side of the Field… and that's why… I can now activate the Dragon Magic from my hand, Dragonic Tactics!"

He revealed the green Spell in his hand, the artwork showing several dragon-shaped chess pieces moving about a stone board.

"Ha…! What's that?! What does it do?!" Kami questioned, staring at the card warily.

"I'm glad you asked." Konami smirked. "Dragonic Tactics allows me to Tribute two Dragon-Type monsters on the Field that I control, and then… I can Special Summon one Level Eight Dragon-Type monster from my Deck in Attack Position!"

"Level Eight…?!" Kami breathed. "You have a monster like that?!"

"That's right… and now, by Tributing my Masked Dragon and Element Dragon, I can bring him forth to the Field!" Konami roared, throwing his hand to the sky.

Masked Dragon and Element Dragon faded into a single, giant summoning circle of fire, their roars quickly drowned out by the raging flames around them.

"The King's grand jewel shines through here, subjugating all who dare oppose him! Ruler! Oppressor!" Konami roared, his Deck glowing with crimson light as a single card flew to his hands. "Rise with the might of the burning sun! I beckon you here now! Come forth, _Tyrant Dragon!_"

He slammed the card down upon his Duel Disk, prompting an earth-shattering roar to echo throughout the building. The arena shook and trembled once more as the flaming summoning circle grew, and slowly, the brown dragon of European legends appeared on the Field, its jaws aflame with infernal hellfire.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2500)

"I-Impossible…! Twenty-Nine Hundred Attack Points…?!" Kami breathed in disbelief.

"That's right…" Konami chuckled, "Now then… for your crimes against this Academy, and those you deem beneath you… I'll destroy your Levia-Dragon Daedalus! Go Tyrant Dragon! Show this woman what real power is! _Tyrant Tidal Strike!"_

The legendary dragon roared angrily, flames spilling from its jaws as it lunged forward at Kami's ace monster. In a behemoth-sized strike, Daedalus was tackled to the ground, its body shattering beneath the weight of Konami's own ace, leaving the Tyrant to roar victoriously across the landscape.

**KAMI – 700 LP**

**KONAMI – 200 LP**

"Impossible…! My Daedalus..! It's destroyed!" Kami breathed.

"And that's not all that's finished!" Konami continued, revealing his face-down card. "Behold, a blast from the past! The Dragon Magic – Dragon's Gunfire!"

Kami's wide went wide, recalling it as one of the cards Konami used to defeat her the first time. "No…! Not that…!"

"That's right! With this, I can inflict an additional Eight-Hundred Points of damage on your Life Points, which… I'm afraid… is more than you can spare!" Konami shouted. "Let's do it, Tyrant Dragon! Light her up and end this Duel, with Karyu no Kaendan!"

Tyrant Dragon roared angrily at the order, its underbelly glowing orange from the furious flame growing in its stomach. With a hulking cry, the beast slammed down on all fours, snapping its jaws wide open to release the inferno that burned within. Pillars of hellfire swept down upon the Field through Konami's spell, and with one final cry, Kami was swept away in the dragon's madness.

**KAMI – 0 LP**

**KONAMI – 200 LP**

The Duel was over… Konami had won.

As the holograms slowly faded away, Kami collapsed to her knees in shock.

"Again…" she breathed. "To think I'd lose to the same Spell twice!"

"It's over, Kami." Konami declared, lowering his Duel Disk to gaze at the ceiling. "Here and now… in front of all these people… I beat you."

"Ngh…!" the woman scowled, guarding herself closely. "And?! What do you expect?! A reward?! I would think your victory would be enough, scum!"

"You still insist on calling me that… despite everything…?" Konami asked with a sigh. "Well… it doesn't matter. Humble yourself, Kami. From here on out, you're not better than anyone else. No more using your family's influence to get what you want. You'll have to work for it, understand?"

"Again with the mumbling about my family's influence…? Why are you so stupid…?" Kami grimaced, holding herself steady. "I already said it, didn't I? That I don't care about what you have to say…"

"Your attitude's been bothering plenty of people, Kami. More than you'd imagine, I suspect." Konami frowned. "And yet you say you don't care…?"

"Whoever those people are can mind their own business…!" Kami scowled, narrowing her eyes hatefully at the boy who'd defeated her twice. "And that goes for you as well! Why are you so concerned about what I get up to? To be frank, it's doesn't concern you!"

"You're right. It doesn't." Konami mused. "But someone asked me to beat you… so I did."

"…!" Kami grimaced, glaring at the boy further. "Someone asked you…? Who…? No. I suppose it doesn't matter. I lost… the reputation I'd secured will be left in tatters… no thanks to you…!"

The two settled into silence, staring at each other neutrally for several minutes. Suddenly, the arena began to shake, thunderous applause raining down upon the pair, much to their surprise and shock. Obelisk and Slifers alike cheered for the two competitors, caring not for the winners or losers, but the excitement at being given a wonderful Duel.

"What…? Is this…?" Kami asked, glancing up toward the audience in shock.

"_Great Duel!"_

"_Way to go, you two!"_

"_Awesome match!"_

"_Hey! Duel me some time!"_

"They're… cheering…? For me…?" Kami asked.

"For the both of us." Konami corrected. "Understand now, Kami? The methods you've used up to this point… domineering over others… treating them as pawns in your own little game… _this _is what you should be striving for."

Kami sat in silence, listening to the endless cheers and applause wrapping around her. Slowly, a small smile graced her face. "It's strange… Wisteria said it was only through power that I could assert my status. But being here, having lost to you, why is it only now that they cheer for me…?"

The two sat in further silence, until something the girl said clicked in Konami's mind.

"Hold on…" he murmured, a small frown coming over his features. "Wisteria is the one… who told you that?"

"Hm…?" Kami frowned. "That's right. Why? Don't tell me you have a problem with her now as well? Because if you do, then I have a few choice words for you-!"

"No." Konami told her, shaking his head. "It's just… Wisteria's the one who asked me… to defeat you."

The audience continued to roar around them, though somehow, it felt far less in tune and synched than before.

"Eh…?" Kami asked.

Suddenly, Professor Satyr and the rest of the audience vanished, their very existences blinking out to be replaced only by a dark, empty room.

"…!"

"…?!"

Kami and Konami rose from their positions, glancing around the room swiftly. Where had everyone gone? Why had everything suddenly gone dark? It reeked of foul play. Little did the pair know, there was far more foul play at hand than they suspected.

As they glanced around the empty building rapidly, a slow clapping began to fill the arena. Snapping their heads toward the noise, the two Duelists squinted, gazing toward the silhouette steadily making its way down from the seating.

"Ngh..! Who's there?!" Kami shouted, taking an angry step forward at the person who would dare interrupt her moment.

Konami remained silent, also wishing to discover who the silhouette belonged to, and what had happened to the audience. The silhouette paid Kami's words no mind, stepping down from the final flight of seating onto the arena floor. The two could make out its form somewhat, and as the silhouette continued to approach them, the pair, or at least one of the two, gasped.

Of course, it was only natural, for neither of the pair were expecting who appeared. It certainly wasn't Satyr, or any other well-meaning teacher for that matter. In the end, it wasn't even Crowler.

The silhouette stepped forward, revealing her twin-tailed hair to the pair. From that point on, it was obvious.

It was Wisteria.

"Well…?" the girl asked mysteriously, her body clad in attire far unlike Duel Academy's uniform. "How was it…? Competing in my little Fog Palace…?"

"Wisteria…?" Konami questioned.

"Indeed! What is the meaning of this?! Where has everyone gone?!" Kami exclaimed, her body trembling in confusion and outrage.

"Where have they gone…?" Wisteria asked curiously. After a moment, she laughed. "Why, they were simply never here in the first place I'm afraid."

"But we saw them." Konami frowned.

"That's right! The students and Professor Satyr! You can't honestly believe that we'd accept they were never here!" Kami shouted. "And besides that, what are you doing here?! And what on earth are you wearing?!"

Wisteria smiled mysteriously once more, reaching within the folds of her uniform to grab a remote. "All will be revealed soon, but I will tell you this. The "Satyr" you encountered and students in the audience were nothing more than simple holograms. This facility was designed to make use of them, after all."

She clicked a button on the remote, and instantly, the lights and figures that had been there during the Duel reappeared. Satyr, the Obelisk, and Slifer students stood about the arena rapidly, but only for a moment. A second later Wisteria had clicked the button once more, and everything returned to the way it was.

"I'll admit it took some work to fine tune the facility to my needs, but when you're the daughter of an inventor such things come naturally." Wisteria's smile grew ever so slightly, and she continued to gaze down upon Konami and Kami.

"Very well…!" Kami scowled, admitting the arena around them was fake. "That still doesn't explain what you're doing here, Wisteria! Or what you're wearing! Where is your Duel Academy Uniform?! What happened to it?!"

"That old rag?" Wisteria huffed in annoyance. "Why, I threw it in the garbage like the piece of trash it was! There's no need for me to wear it further after all, I'm afraid my time at this academy has come to a close."

"…?!"

Both Konami and Kami stared at her in surprise at the revelation. Wisteria was leaving Duel Academy…? When had she decided on that?

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Kami exclaimed. "It's barely a month into the semester!"

"All the more reason for me to get going," Wisteria smirked coyly. "If I hurry, I may still be able to catch up with my studies."

"Wisteria…? What's going on here?" Konami asked suddenly, not liking the feeling of unease the woman was exuding.

"It's simply as I said," Wisteria smirked. "I am returning to my rightful place at North Academy! But not before leaving my two favorite Duelists with a few parting gifts." She giggled at her comment, clicking the remote in her hand yet again.

The lights of the arena suddenly sprinkled to life a third time, and around the trio, several red lists depicting numerous numbers circled overhead. Though Wisteria continued to smile throughout the scene, Konami and Kami were confused.

"What is all this…?" Kami questioned, gazing at the many holograms curiously. She noted that many of them carried similar numbers.

"Why Kami dear… I'm afraid that this is latest stock of your father's company! My how the SIC has fallen! I wonder what could have possibly done that, hmm?" Wisteria asked, tapping her lower lip curiously as she gazed to the ceiling. "Well, I'm certain that whatever it was had to be big, for your shareholders to sell so swiftly… and at such low prices… why, it's a wonder the Fujiwara Foundation managed to purchase them all at all!"

"…!" Kami's eyes went wide at the revelation. "You…? The Fujiwara Foundation…? That means… you've been planning this the whole time?!"

"Guilty as charged." Wisteria admitted with a coy smirk.

"Sorry, but would someone mind bringing me up to speed?" Konami asked. "What's going on here? What is this "Fujiwara Foundation" you're both talking about?"

"What? You don't know?!" Kami grimaced. "The Fujiwara Foundation is only the largest Virtual Gaming Company north of the equator! Just as the Scott Irvine Corporation holds interests in Duel Academy, so too does the Fujiwara Foundation have assets in North Academy, and Wisteria's family is the one that runs it!"

"How's that possible? I thought her family worked for you." Konami said.

Wisteria laughed. "My family?" she asked rhetorically, "Work for _her_? While it's true my father may be a designer, he would never accept a position at such a lowly, uncouth operation such as SIC. Why, he was the one who first raised the notion of a hostile takeover, after all!"

"…!" Kami bristled with rage. "So I was right! You _do_ intend on stealing my father's corporation!"

"Already did I'm afraid." Wisteria smirked. "And you want the kicker? It was all thanks to you, Kami dear." The woman suddenly reached inside the folds of her clothing, tossing a horde of green paper into the sky.

Kami reeled back, glancing at the falling paper in disbelief. "These are…!"

"Green Shares, given to me at the outcome of your Duel!" Wisteria declared, a victorious grin on her face as the paper flapped around her. "You see Kami, while you and the _Slifer_ here were playing around with each other, _I_ was busy meeting with your father's shareholders! Being the two-faced gamblers they are, it was far too easy to talk them into betting shares depending on the outcome of your Duel. An Obelisk against a Slifer they said? The odds were a million to one…" Wisteria glanced at Konami viciously, her eyes gleaming in the dark as she spoke. "And he was that one."

"…You used me." Konami realized, his face contorting ever so slightly.

"Indeed I did. You and the rest of this Academy." Wisteria smirked. "It was ever so easy. A little nudge here, and small suggestion there. Why, I had Kami thinking she was the mastermind behind all these events, when in reality, she was nothing more than another pawn to get one I desire."

Wisteria smirked softly, recalling the events she'd placed into motion. Bullying their fellow dorm mates to set up a confrontation, covertly suggesting the idea of the Abandoned Dorm in an attempt to get the boy alone. Even informing Kami of the Slifer Presence in the Girls' Dorm. It was all her, from the very beginning.

"That's right…" Wisteria spoke softly, "_I_ am the Mastermind!"

Somewhere, Konami thought he heard a pin drop.

"Wisteria…!" Kami growled, her body shaking in outrage at having been used. Her family… everything they had was invested in that corporation… and now, because of this girl before her… "Do you think I'll just let you get away with this?!"

Angrily, the girl charged Wisteria, no doubt intending to get physical. A shame Wisteria had predicted such a response. Adjusting her stance ever so slightly, Wisteria sidestepped Kami, grabbing her from the back of her head to toss her to the ground in a shambled mess.

"Augh…!" Kami winced upon impact, her body rolling twice before coming to a stop in the middle of the arena.

"Oi…!" Konami shouted at the pair, to no avail.

Paying no heed to the Slifer present, Wisteria walked over to Kami, raising her foot and pressing it down upon the fallen Kami's face.

"Not going to let me get away with it? I'm afraid I already have!" Wisteria goaded, rubbing her foot deep in Kami's cheek roughly. "Tell me? How does it feel Kami? To know that your "only friend" was the one who took everything from you? Your money? Your title? Your _power_?!"

"Wisteria! That's enough!" Konami shouted angrily, drawing the girl's attention.

"Hm? Oh yes… I'd nearly forgotten about you… the _Slifer._" Wisteria smirked.

Turning from Kami after deeming her insignificant, Wisteria smiled, moving toward the catalyst of these events.

"You, too, played your role quite well." Wisteria congratulated. "Without you I would have never been able to strike out at Kami's corporation. You have my thanks, boy."

"Why are you doing this? Wasn't she your friend?" Konami questioned.

"Friend? Kami and I? Ha! I said it before did I not, the eve of our Duel? Kami's and I share a… unique perspective. As you may have garnered she truly did think us friends, at least for the short time I was here. I knew far better than that however. Could you imagine? Me, idling away with the likes of someone like her?! How disgusting! If I were to use a comparison… I see her as nothing more than a worm to be crushed by my feet!"

"You seem to have done enough of that already." Konami noted, with no small hint of anger in his voice.

"Oh? Don't tell me you intend to defend that woman, after all she did to you?" Wisteria smiled coyly. "I'd expected more from you, Slifer."

"I have no intention to defend her actions," Konami corrected, his stance guarded and eyes wary, "but you said it yourself. You're the mastermind here. That means you're even more at fault than she is!"

"You are correct of course. It was my being here that led Kami to such tactics to begin with. But tell me, if a sheep leaps into the fox's mouth, is the farmer truly to blame? Or is it the sheep's fault for being gullible enough to fall for the fox's charms to begin with?"

"You're not making sense." Konami scowled.

"Aren't I though?" Wisteria smirked. "I have may have laid the plans, and offered the suggestions, but Kami was the one who heeded my words. It is through no fault but her own that she now lies at the bottom of the abyss with the other nameless failures in the world of business! Surely even you can understand that much?"

She stepped in front of Konami, pressing a hand against his chest.

"Yes… there is no good and evil in this world, only power." Wisteria whispered, "And if you were smart, Konami-kun… you'd take it."

She raised her lips, preparing to meet his.

"You… you two…" Kami's voice muttered weakly from the floor.

Wisteria paused in her motion, turning away from Konami with a frown on her face. "Oh? It seems the sleeping beauty has awoken."

"You two…!" Kami scowled, steadily crawling back to one knee. "You worked together on this..?! To humiliate me…?!"

"It's not like that." Konami said, shaking his head.

Wisteria merely smiled. "That's right. It was Konami here who insisted on dueling you to begin with, was it not? And did you not accompany him here, to this place…?"

"Wisteria…!" Konami hissed. "Enough of your lies…!"

"Hmhmhm… are they?" Wisteria asked mysteriously, "It is true, Kami. Konami-kun here was my greatest partner. Without him, none of this would have been possible!"

"As I thought! From the very beginning, you two were…!" Kami scowled. "I won't forgive this! Not by a longshot!"

"No one asked for your forgiveness I'm afraid." Wisteria smirked. "And tell me Kami? What can you do? You have no power here! The fact remains Kami that you just lost to a Slifer Red Student. The lowest of the low, the bottom of the abyss! Whatever life you think you have left for you here at Duel Academy, is over. You have no friends to rely on, no one you can turn to for assistance! Face it dear girl, you've lost."

Kami trembled. "No…! I can… go to the Chancellor! He can fix this!"

Wisteria laughed. "Fix this? Poor Kami, ever so gullible, ever so foolish. Who do you think I gained control of this building from? I'll admit he wasn't happy about it, but in the wake of my father's corporation, even Chancellor Sheppard must do as he's told. It was through his authority that I labelled this event private business, forcing the students of the Academy to attend Chazz's Duel instead. And with no one here to witness the event in person, the only record shall be of the outcome, which Konami just happened to provide."

Kami stumbled. "No way…! Then everything really is over…?"

"That's right. Now run along now dear girl." Wisteria spoke softly, her red eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Who knows? If you run quickly enough… perhaps you'll make it back to your room before the news breaks out."

Kami trembled. How could this have happened? She let her guard down for an instant… and Wisteria had taken everything from her. It took everything she had not to faint.

"I…! I…! I…!" Kami's eyes teared up. Without another word she turned and fled, not wanting to show weakness before her greatest adversary yet.

"Look at her flee!" Wisteria cackled gleefully, walking several steps after her. "Did you see the look on her face?! The worm! "I…! I…! I…!"" Wisteria mocked, making a pouty face after the girl. "Truly, this day has been a blessing."

"Wisteria…!" Konami warned, his own body trembling.

"Hm? You have something more to say…?"

"No… there are no words to be traded with a person like you." Konami grimaced. "That's why…! Even if you're a woman… I definitely can't forgive you!"

He ran forward, raising his arm to strike the girl. The first time, and the last.

_CLANG!_

In a flurry of motion something moved to block Konami's assault, tossing the boy back to the end of the arena.

"Oh, Masakazu." Wisteria said in surprise. "I was wondering when you'd arrive. I take it to mean my time is up then?"

"Quite so, young lady." The man proclaimed.

Clad in traditional butler attire, the man lowered his walking stick, having used it to bat Konami away effortlessly. Spinning it around his palm expertly, he cracked it down into the arena floor, before glaring at the wounded child angrily.

"Raising your hand against a woman… have you no shame?!" the butler shouted forcefully, glaring down upon Konami with distaste.

"What did you say to me…?" Konami asked, climbing back to his feet slowly. "Bastard…!"

"Hmph, so these are the ruffians of Duel Academy you told me about." The butler proclaimed, paying Konami no mind. "They are every bit as rude and hateful as I envisioned, young lady."

"Aren't they?" Wisteria asked with a smile. "It's been ever so dreadful staying here. When shall we be leaving?"

"Within the hour." The man explained, "Just as soon as I finish teaching this young lad a lesson."

"Ah, hold on just a moment, Masaka-" Wisteria's words fell short as Konami lunged at the man, prompting a return strike.

Far unlike last time however, the butler wasted no quarter in delivering the final blow. With a sharp crack he jabbed his cane deep into Konami's stomach, prompting the boy to crash to the floor in shock.

"…Augh…?"

"Now then, for your sin of attempting to strike my dear lady, I shall have you repent!" the butler exclaimed, raising his cane to the sky.

"Masakazu, that's enough." Wisteria spoke forcefully, without raising his voice a single octave.

The butler gasped at the words, turning his head away from Konami to gaze upon the approaching figure of the girl.

"I do believe he's been punished far enough." Wisteria said. "No harm came to me, after all. And it was only his first transgression."

"Young lady…!" Masakazu breathed, lowering his cane proudly. "You are too kind…!"

"Aren't I?" Wisteria agreed, kneeling down to gaze upon Konami closely. "A shame he does not seem to think the same. It is unfortunate, but expected. He too was nothing more than a pawn in my game after all."

"…I'll…get…you…" Konami whispered weakly.

"Oh? It seems you didn't hit hard enough after all dear butler. The child's still awake." Wisteria said. "Still, that is fine. There is still something more I wish to say to him."

"Young lady…! You mustn't concern yourself with riffraff such as him!" the butler shouted.

"Oh be a dear and settle down would you? It's nothing important. Just a few parting words between friends." Wisteria smiled, before bringing Konami's face close to hers. She moved her lips to his ear, whispering quietly.

"It seems our time together has come to an end now, Konami-kun. I may have manipulated you… used your skills for my own gain… but our situation… it wasn't all a lie. I really did enjoy it... our Duel together." She trailed off for a moment, humming softly to herself before speaking once more. "The school will soon hear of Kami's position… and with me gone they'll look for someone to lash out against. The Slifer who defeated her will be the most obvious target… but you can handle it, can't you…?" she asked, smirking down at the boy. "Oh, Lord of the Red." she called him, crowning him, at least in her mind, the strongest Slifer.

Dropping his head back to the floor she rose, moving back toward her butler and tossing a hand through her hair. "Come along Masakazu. We're done here."

The butler nodded, and as the two left Konami to his fate, the boy couldn't help but realize… that they'd just traded one Alpha Bitch for another.

* * *

**-Chapter Ten-**

* * *

**Arc One**

* * *

**END**


	11. Cyber x Prevaricator

_The Chancellor's Office - Midnight_

It was late.

The sound of the wind could be heard roaring through the safety of the walls, but though many had gone to sleep long ago, a single, dim light flickered throughout the Academy's halls. Not for the first time, Chancellor Sheppard worked far into the night, his business unknown to all, but of the upmost importance.

Folders and files lay scattered about his desk, and with only the dim light of his lamp as comfort, the man flipped through their pages studiously. In the corner of the room, a shadow slowly threw itself out across the floor.

"We have little time." the Chancellor said immediately, having recognized the shadow's owner for who it was. "Several grievous errors have been made, and if we are to correct their path, we must move with the upmost haste."

The shadow's owner stepped forward, revealing a mysterious figure standing in the doorway of Sheppard's office.

"The situation has changed, Chancellor." The figure's voice spoke dryly. "No longer are we guided along the path once foretold. The Promotion Duels, it seems your gamble didn't pan out. Chazz Princeton and Konami Kodo… the two of them were such promising Duelists…"

"Agreed. I had hoped things would turn out differently." Chancellor Sheppard sighed, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, it seems North Academy's sudden involvement with our affairs has twisted the destined outcome of events. The Guardians I'd intended to choose… are not yet ready."

"There is still time. The island has not yet been filled with the strength of powerful Duelists. The Shadow Riders have not yet risen… the Spirit Keys… are _safe_."

"For how long? Every day we draw closer to the destined hour, and I fear I will not have the strength to overcome them alone. I need my Key Guardians, for without them, we are all lost."

"Then draw them together." the mysterious voice suggested. "Guide them, so that together, they may become the force you need."

"If only it were that simple." the Chancellor frowned. "The comradery I had hoped to forge between them has not yet reached its limit. Chazz's loss to Jaden may open the door to Princeton's own growth… but the Kodo boy… I wonder if his transfer to Slifer Red is truly for the best at this time…"

"We shall see." the voice whispered. "The night draws to a close, and my time grows short. I had best take my leave. Until next time… Sheppard."

Disappearing from the office, the figure left Sheppard to his devices, alone. Slumping, the Chancellor sighed, turning his gaze back toward the files on his desk. "Until next time he says…" he whispered softly into the abyss. "What he doesn't realize is… if things aren't solved quickly, there may not _be_ a next time."

He snapped the most recent file shut, and turned out the light.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter One**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

A week had passed since the Promotion Duels, and Konami, was lost.

While the boy cared little for public opinion, even he had to admit that Wisteria's treachery had quite the profound effect on the student body. Everywhere he went the jeers and scowls of the Obelisks were present, even without Kami there to direct them. It was obvious to him from the very beginning. From being one of the most mysterious and envied students in the Academy, Konami had suddenly become the most hated. Even the Ra Yellows, known most for their neutrality, joined in on the public persecution.

"Red Hat", they'd called him, not even wanting to use his name.

Even for him, it was agonizing.

Day in and day out, he was shunned, neglected. Only a few stood by him, for what reason, he did not know.

Konami sighed, leaning back on his new, wooden bed native to the Slifer Dorms. The day after the Promotion Duels had been worse than most, and after finding much of his room wrecked upon returning to the Girls' Dorm, the boy had been forced to expedite the move, despite the room having not been finished.

The one comfort he had was the lack of a roommate, though with his current neighbors, who needed one?

The door to his room suddenly burst open, and Jaden suddenly fell forward, having tripped over Syrus' crouching form.

"A-Ah! Jaden!" the small, blue-haired boy cried out, entering the room in pursuit as he went to check on his Duel-loving friend.

"Ouch… talk about a rough landing!" Jaden winced, scratching the back of his head soothingly.

Konami raised a brow at their appearance, though he had no intent to move. It was not the first time Jaden had stormed his apartment since his arrival at the Red Dorm, and he was certain it would not be the last.

"Hey, how's it going Konami? You don't plan on spending the day all cooped up in here again do ya?" Jaden asked, grinning at Konami eagerly.

"Is there any reason I shouldn't?" Konami asked. "If I go back out… they'll just start yelling again."

"Aw, forget about them!" Jaden exclaimed. "They'll leave you alone after a little while, just you wait and see! Still, you have been missing a lot of classes recently, even for a Slifer!"

"J-Jaden's right!" Syrus shouted, taking several steps forward further into the room. "If you don't start attending classes again, Professor Crowler's going to start breathing down your neck just like Jaden's!"

"H-Huh?! Now why'd you have to go and bring him into this Sy?!" Jaden asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Well you were talking about classes, what else was I going to do?! Talk about gym class?! The teacher doesn't even take attendance!"

"W-Well, I guess you have a point there…" Jaden admitted with a sigh, before remembering why they were there in the first place. "Oh yeah! Good ol' Number Two wanted me to tell you something, though… I guess since he's never gotten around to getting a rematch he's still Number Three, isn't he?"

"Number Three…?" Konami asked, rising from his seat curiously. "…you mean Bastion?"

"You know it!" Jaden grinned. "He's been pretty worried since you stopped coming to classes you know! He's always going on about how he'll never get his place back if you're not there to Duel him soon. From what I hear, he's been building another Deck too, though from what he tells us it's far from finished…"

"I see…" Konami smiled wryly. "Good to hear he's still as eccentric as ever."

"What about you though?" Syrus asked. "Isn't it boring, sitting in here all day?"

"No. It's quiet. Just how I like it." Konami replied. "…except when I hear Chumley snoring through the wall."

"Ah… sorry about that!" Jaden apologized on behalf of the absent Slifer. "He's a big fella though, so you've gotta cut him some slack!"

"Jaden!" Syrus scolded. "You shouldn't talk about people like that?!"

"What? Aw relax Syrus, all I'm saying is that he could use a little more exercise! We're packing on the pounds a lot too lately, with all those Golden Egg Sandwiches I've been drawing from the Card Shop!" Jaden laughed, earning a sigh from his friend.

"Golden Egg Sandwich…?" Konami asked.

"Yeah! Jaden grinned. "You haven't heard of em? Duel Academy's Card Shop sells one every day, but it's cool, because you can't just buy em like usual! You've gotta put your skills to the test and draw them out of a hundred other sandwiches! It's pretty fun actually, not knowing what you're gonna get…" Jaden trailed off for a moment. "Aw, what am I saying? It's no fun just explaining it to ya! Here, try one yourself! You haven't eaten breakfast yet, right?"

Pulling a small package out of _somewhere_, Jaden tossed the sandwich toward Konami, prompting the boy to fumble it around in his hands.

"…it feels soft." Konami noted, finally tightening his hands around the package securely.

"Heh, that's just the texture! Wait until you get it into your mouth though!" Syrus exclaimed, "It has this explosive sensation that just- mmph?!" the boy was cut off as Jaden suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth.

"That's enough Syrus, let him find out for himself!" Jaden snickered. "Well, go ahead! We don't have all day, Konami!"

The boy nodded, tearing the top of the package open to peek inside. Two soft buns sat snugly inside the wrapping, carrying a soft, golden colored egg in between them. It looked amazing.

Slowly removing the sandwich, Konami raised the object to his lips… and bit down.

"…?!" his eyes went wide.

An explosion of texture and flavors swept throughout his mouth, filling him with a warmth he hadn't felt in quite some time. It was as if the universe itself had contracted into a single point, its very essence geared toward creating the greatest food the world had ever seen. Konami couldn't stop eating. His mouth chomped down on the remaining sandwich swiftly, and in a single, large gulp, the boy swallowed it all down.

"..." he remained silent for several moments, looking down at the package frantically upon realizing there was none left.

"Whoa…! I don't think I saw anyone eat it that fast before!" Syrus exclaimed. "Not even you, Jaden!"

"Heh, I guess he really likes it huh?" Jaden grinned. "Too bad. That was the last one!"

"H-Huh?! What do you mean that was the last one?!" Syrus cried. "Didn't you say you'd give me another?!"

"Huh? Did I? Ah well, we'll just have to go draw some more sandwiches then Syrus, no harm done!" Jaden laughed.

Syrus frowned, glancing away from Jaden in disappointment. "No harm done he says… He always forgets his promises…"

"How about Konami? You up for another Golden Egg Sandwich? Or better yet, you can come along and draw your own! Who knows what you might get! The Fried Shrimp Sandwich is pretty good!" Jaden suggested, watching Konami slowly rise from his bed.

"…Alright." Konami said after a moment. "…You win."

"Great! Then it's settled!" Jaden grinned cheekily, grabbing the red hat off Konami's desk and throwing it on the boy's haphazardly. "Get changed! Then we'll head on out and get some grub!"

"…right." Konami nodded, just before kicking the two out his room.

He emerged some five minutes later, clad in the Slifer Uniform. Jaden and Syrus were already at the bottom of the dorm waiting for him, and quietly, Konami assumed that the two hadn't bothered to ask Chumley. Rude, but understandable.

Or was it…?

Konami paused as he passed by their room, hearing several strange sounds within. Was Chumley still asleep? No, the sounds weren't anything like the noise the boy had grown used to during his week with the Slifers; it sounded, dryer… more mechanical. Just what was Chumley doing in there…?

Deciding not to bother the boy, Konami continued further down the steps.

"Yo! Finally dressed huh?" Jaden asked upon seeing him approach. "It's about time! You were taking forever up there!"

"I couldn't find my shoes." Konami answered simply.

"Huh? Your shoes?" Syrus asked, "You're just like Jaden! He's always losing his things. There was this one time when he nearly lost his Duel Disk too! Nearly got us all expelled…"

"Oh, come on Syrus! How was I supposed to know I left it back at gym class?!" Jaden complained.

"I dunno. You'd think you'd have realized it wasn't with you when it wasn't on your arm when you left, Jaden!" Syrus frowned.

The two began to bicker and banter as usual, and despite the tense atmosphere of the students around them, Konami felt… at peace.

**-GX-**

**The trio left the Slifer Dorm and left toward the Card Shop…**

**-GX-**

"Well, this is it!" Jaden grinned.

They stood in the center of Duel Academy's Card Shop. Hundreds and hundreds of Booster Packs and Starter Decks lined the shelves, each carrying within them a particular Archetype, Attribute, or Type. It was a colorful building, Konami knew, and at the center of it all… the Holy Grail.

A large, cubed casket sat in the center of the store, filled to the brim with packaged sandwiches. Konami recalled that Jaden said there was only one Golden Sandwich inside every day… was it still in there?

"Heh, that look on your face says it all!" Jaden smiled. "Don't worry, this is my first time dropping by today! I'm sure of it… that Golden Egg Sandwich is still in there!"

"Oh yeah? And how would you know?" Syrus asked.

"Well, that nice shop lady did say I was the only one who drew them so often…" Jaden mumbled, scratching the side of his face sheepishly.

"Well, today's that not gonna happen!" Syrus decided, rolling up his sleeve and marching toward the casket purposefully. "Because this time… _I'll_ be the one getting that sandwich!"

He threw his hand inside, his fingers curling around one of the small packages in the middle before emerging from the case, sandwich in hand.

"Ha! Got one!" Syrus shouted. "But… it doesn't feel like a Golden Egg Sandwich…"

"Never know until you open it!" Jaden laughed. "That's the whole point Sy!"

"Yeah, you're right. I guess I'll have to wait until you guys go too to know for sure." Syrus agreed, turning to Konami. "I went first, so I guess that means it's your turn next, right?"

"Right." Konami nodded.

He stepped forward, gazing upon the thick case intently. There must have been hundreds upon hundreds of sandwiches in there. Only one Golden Egg Sandwich… was it the same for the others inside as well?

He imagined a roulette in his mind, spinning between all the different possibilities.

Jam, Fried Shrimp, Hamburger, Pickle… which one would he retrieve…? There was only one way to find out.

"Ha…!" he cried out dramatically, plunging his hand deep into the abyss.

His fingers wiggled gently, searching, seeking… the one sandwich he desired. Steadily, something came to him. Warm and thick, his hands curled around it tightly, and Konami pulled back.

"Whoa…!"

"Hey!"

Konami stumbled backward, having pulled too hard on the way out. Still, a sandwich was clasped tightly between his fingertips. He'd done it… but was it the Golden Egg Sandwich… or something else?

Laughing at the scene, Jaden quickly slapped Konami against the back far harder than he'd realized, shoving the boy forward slightly. "That's the way! Now then, it's my turn, then we can get out of here!"

Jaden too repeated the motion both Konami and Syrus had attempted, with upmost perfection. In seconds a soft package was gripped firmly in his hands, and he made to leave the shop with Syrus and Konami in tow.

"…heh." A Ra Yellow student smirked as he watched them leave, a half-eaten Golden Egg Sandwich in his hands. "…Amateurs."

Konami and followed after Syrus and Jaden quietly, listening to the two banter about who got what. Before long, the two came to a stop ahead of him, evidently deciding that they'd waited long enough. It was time to open the stash.

"Alright Jaden, you want proof that I got the Golden Egg Sandwich, here it is!" Syrus exclaimed, ripping his package open swiftly and holding the sandwich up for all to see. "Look! There! It's… Tofu?!"

Jaden laughed at the shocked look on the boy's face. "See? Told ya you didn't get it Sy! That package was way too hard to have the Golden Egg in it! Mine on the other hand… well, let's just say that I put everything I had into that Draw! There's no way it's not the Golden Egg Sandwich!"

"Oh yeah?! Prove it then!" Syrus complained, gripping his Tofu Sandwich tightly.

"Alright, here goes! Reveal Face-Down!" Jaden shouted, tearing his sandwich wrapping off as well. "It's… Fried Shrimp? Sweet! I've been wanting one of those!"

Syrus stared at Jaden with a deadpan expression.

"Huh?" Jaden blinked. "Oh! Guess you were right Sy! It wasn't the Golden Egg!"

"But you _always_ get the Golden Egg!" Syrus complained, "Always! But if I didn't get it… and you didn't get it… then does that mean…?"

Both Jaden and Syrus turned to face Konami, and suddenly the Slifer felt far more vulnerable than before.

"Well? Go ahead pal! Show us what you got!" Jaden grinned eagerly.

"Yeah! Did you get it?!" Syrus frowned.

Konami glanced between the two frantically, several beads of sweat rolling down the back of his head at their nosiness. Swiftly, he glanced down at the package in his hand. Should he really show them…? Well, he supposed it couldn't hurt. He sighed, and ripped the package open gently.

"Hm…" Konami murmured, reaching inside and revealing the sandwich to everyone. "…it's jam."

"Aw man! So you didn't get it either!" Syrus frowned.

"Heh, well, Jam's better than some of the other stuff they have!" Jaden laughed.

"Oh please, you'll eat anything that comes out of there." Syrus deadpanned.

Syrus' comment only made Jaden laugh harder. "You've got that right Syrus, but now you've got me curious. If none of us got the Golden Egg Sandwich, then who did?"

The three Slifers stared at their sandwiches in deep thought, but the answer seemed to elude them. Luckily, there were other ways to garner such information, and one had just decided to make itself known.

"Hmph… Slifers... and _you_. I ate the Golden Egg." a strangely deep voice said to them from behind, prompting the three to turn around.

Before them stood a spiky-haired Ra Yellow, his arms folded patiently in front of him as he devoured the last remains of his Golden Egg Sandwich. His stare was stern, but respectful.

"H-Huh? Who are you?" Syrus asked, "And wait, that was the Golden Egg Sandwich just now wasn't it?! You mean you're the one who got it?! Lucky…"

"That's right. It wasn't hard at all. There is no victory to be gained from such a thing." The Ra stated coolly, glancing between the three of them.

"Uh… okay, that's cool and all, but you never really answered Syrus' question!" Jaden told him. "So… what's your name?"

"You don't know? My name is Dimitri Kagurazaka… but you can call me Kaiser Ryo… the second."

"Kaiser Ryo?" Syrus asked in surprise, "Hey! That's my brother's nickname!"

Dimitri's eyes widened at the revelation. "Your brother…? I see. So that makes you Syrus Truesdale… Zane Truesdale's little brother."

"Yeah…" Syrus mumbled, suddenly downcast. "That's right…"

"Zane…" Konami repeated the name, recalling it having been spoken elsewhere, long ago. "Who's he?"

Jaden, Syrus, and Dimitri nearly face-planted at the words.

"W-What do you mean, "who's he?!"" Syrus complained, having spoken up before Dimitri or Jaden could. "He's only the Top Duelist of the Academy!"

"His Cyber Style is renowned the island over," Dimitri nodded in agreement, before realizing who he was speaking to. "But that's no business of yours, Red Hat!"

His gaze grew stronger upon finishing his statement, and in surprise, Konami took a step back.

"…strong." He mumbled, adjusting his hat to regain his composure.

Frowning, Dimitri folded his arms yet again, glaring at the Slifer Trio before him. "It's no business of yours who Zane Truesdale is… a Slifer like you wouldn't have the honor of meeting him, anyway."

"Oh yeah?" Jaden challenged, "Why's that?"

"Ngh..!" Dimitri scowled. "Don't any of you know anything? Meeting Zane Truesdale, much less _Dueling_ him, is a privilege reserved for the best of the best at the Academy! Slifers like yourselves would only get one chance in a million years, even less now that you're stuck carrying _him_ around."

Konami grimaced, knowing full well who the "_he_" was referring to.

"Regardless, his existence is not the reason for our meeting today." Dimitri glowered. "Our meeting today was predestined by the elite… all so that I could challenge _you_, Red Hat!" he pointed at Konami sharply, his powerful aura passing across the boy yet again.

Several students stopped what they were doing upon hearing the declaration. They all turned their head toward the commotion, gazing upon the Zane lookalike Dimitri glaring down the Slifer Trio.

"…I don't like you. I refuse." Konami said blatantly, making to turn away.

Yet again, Dimitri nearly face-faulted. "What do you mean you refuse?! Do you really think I'll let you do that?!"

"Hey, chill out! The guy already said no!" Syrus complained.

"Ngh…!" Struggling, Dimitri slowly grabbed hold of his composure, restraining himself from another outburst. "Very well… I see how it is… You intend to continue to hide behind your friends… Red Hat."

Konami paused mid-step, turning around to face Dimitri once more.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "I haven't been hiding behind anyone."

"Lies!" Dimitri shouted, much to the agreement of the surrounding student body. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I've been to the Slifer Dorm! I've seen how day in and day out Duelists are tossed aside at your lackey's behest!" he shouted, pointing to Jaden.

Konami turned to the Slifer curiously, wondering what Dimitri was talking about. Laughing sheepishly, Jaden scratched the back of his head before moving to answer.

"Well… you see Konami, thing is…" Jaden scratched his cheek, "there might have been a _few_ Obelisks wanting to run you through after what happened at the Promotion Duels. So, being the good guy I am, I Dueled em all and had em hit the road!"

He started laughing upon getting it all out, much to Konami's surprise. People had been trying to get at him, even at the Slifer Dorm…? And Jaden had been Dueling them all without saying anything… The roar of the crowd grew even louder upon Jaden's revelation, the many students in the crowd cheering for a fight.

"_Yeah, stop running away!"_

"_You think we'll let you get away with this?!"_

"_Payback's a bitch, bitch!"_

"…You should have told me." Konami sighed, moving back toward Dimitri. "…Can't be helped."

"Ho…? So you've stopped running then?" Dimitri questioned.

"I was never running." Konami explained. "You people just don't understand anything."

Dimitri bristled at the statement, as did much of the crowd cheering for him. "There's nothing to understand! We all know what you and _that woman_ did to Lady Kami! It's time for you to pay up to your crimes, with a Duel of Pain!"

"…I won't have to pay for anything." Konami muttered in annoyance. "But if you really want a Duel… I'll give you."

The two raised their Duel Disks, and the crowd cheered.

"Are you sure about this pal? I mean, I'm all for Dueling your problems away, but if its like this…" Jaden winced.

"Uh… I don't think he's listening," Syrus explained, watching Konami shuffle his Deck quietly. "We should probably get out the way."

"Yeah, you're right! We'll just have to watch from the sidelines!" Jaden laughed. "Go get your game on, Konami! You two, Kaiser Vyo!"

"It's _Ryo_!" Dimitri corrected angrily, "The _Second!_ And it's time to Duel, Red Hat!"

The two slid their Decks into their Duel Disks, and the game was on.

**DUEL**

**KONAMI VS DIMITRI/KAISER V2**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**DIMITRI – 4000 LP**

"People who don't respect their opponent like you don't deserve to go first!" Dimitri shouted, drawing a card. "My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN ONE – DIMITRI**

"I'll start by playing a monster face-down in Defense Position." Dimitri said confidently. "Then, I'll follow things up with a face-down card as well!"

He set the two cards down onto the Field swiftly, before leaning back in relief.

"That's all for my move at this time. That makes it your Turn, Red Hat." Dimitri scowled.

"Starting off slow…?" Konami wondered. "Sorry, but I want to get this over with quickly. My Turn! Draw!"

He glanced at the cards in his hand with a frown, the overwhelming power of a Dragon Deck present for him to see.

"I'll start by summoning my Lord of D. to the Field in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, throwing the monster out swiftly onto his Duel Disk.

In a wave of black light, the armored Spellcaster appeared in all his glory, his blue cape whipping behind him in nonexistent wind as he stretched his arms for the first time.

Lord of D. – (DARK/Spellcaster) – LV4 – (1200/1100)

"Is that all…?" Dimitri asked.

"Far from it!" Konami shouted, "Because now, I'm activating the Lord's Magic – Flute of Summoning Dragon!" he twirled the green card around in his hand for his opponent to see, before placing it on the Field behind his Lord of D.

In an instant, the golden horn shaped like a dragon's head appeared in the Lord's hands, and the Spellcaster grinned as green energy began to flow from the flute's tip.

"Flute of Summoning Dragon?" Dimitri questioned warily. "What does that do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Konami asked. "Just as its name implies, when I activate the Flute of Summoning Dragon, my Lord of D. can make use of its power to call forth up to two Dragons from my Hand, and I'll be making use of that ability right now! Come forth, Element Dragon! Axe Dragonute! Your master calls you now!"

With a loud cry, Lord of D. blew deeply into his flute, a hideous shriek echoing out across the landscape. Several seconds passed, and just as everyone began to wonder if anything would happen, two cries rang out in unison. Swiftly, Konami placed his two called Dragons onto the Field in Attack Position, and from the sky they swooped down, intent on assisting the Lord of D. in whatever he required.

Element Dragon – (LIGHT/Dragon) – LV4 – (1500/1200)

Axe Dragonute – (DARK/Dragon) – LV4 – (2000/1200)

"Three monsters in a single Turn…?!" Dimitri breathed, "Is that allowed, or are you cheating… just like you cheated Kami?!"

"It's not cheating." Konami explained, "And what happened with Kami wasn't my fault- No… it doesn't matter. What does matter, is that you're about to take a whole lot of damage from my monsters! Element Dragon, attack his Face-Down creature! _Lightray Breaker!_"

His pink dragon screeched at the command, firing a single bolt of white lightning toward Dimitri's side of the Field. The boy cursed, shielding his eyes as his face-down monster exploded, revealing a Cyber Soldier of Darkworld. It was sent to the Graveyard promptly.

"And now… you're defenseless!" Konami exclaimed, swooping his hand forward. "Lord of D.! Axe Dragonute! Attack him directly!"

His two monsters did not need to be told twice. In a flurry of blows, they struck at him with combined magic and dragonic abilities, delivering a severe blow to his Life Points.

"A-Aaaaaaah….!" Dimitri cried, shielding his eyes further as he was engulfed in a blinding light.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**DIMITRI – 800 LP**

From the sidelines, Jaden whistled. "Man! Talk about a heavy hit!"

"Yeah…" Syrus nodded in agreement. "Looks like Konami's got this one in the bag!"

"Well, I won't disagree with that, but he better stay on his toes! There's no telling what this guy might have up his sleeve, especially since he's supposed to be the second coming of this Kaiser Vyo thing!"

"It's Kaiser Ryo…" Syrus murmured, "and he can't be the second coming, since _my_ brother's still here!"

As the two prepared for another argument, the sudden arrival of more students cut them off. It appeared as though someone had informed them of the Duel currently taking place, prompting them to rush from their locations to join the audience. As it turned out, a familiar face was among them.

"Hey you two, what's going on?" Alexis asked, spotting Jaden and Syrus amongst the crowd and moving to join them.

Mindy and Jasmine were not with her.

"Oh, hey Alexis! How's it goin?" Jaden asked with a closed eye, smiling at the girl's presence. "Not much is happening here. Just taking the time to watch Konami get his game on with this Dimitri guy!"

"Dimitri?" Alexis asked, blinking in surprise. "That's the person Zane's been telling me about…"

"Huh? My brother was?" Syrus asked. "So… you know this guy?"

"Not personally," Alexis assured them, "but… from what Zane's been telling me. He styles himself as some kind of mimicry genius. Apparently he's been shadowing your brother the past few days when he thought no one was looking. He's not very good at it though… _or_ at his mimicking."

"A mimick-what now?" Jaden asked. "You mean he copies people?"

"Guess that explains the Kaiser Ryo Two thing…" Syrus muttered. "But… if he's mimicking my brother… doesn't that mean he has a similar Deck too?"

"Well, I suppose." Alexis said with wide eyes. "Wait, so Konami's dueling him?"

She glanced over to the Field, watching as Dimitri slowly made to recover from losing nearly all his Life Points.

"It doesn't look like he needs any help."

"Heh… of course not. If this Dimitri guy is just a mimick as you say, there's no way he could use another person's Deck right!" Jaden grinned. "Still… it is a bit weird. I didn't take Konami as the type of guy who'd try to go for a one-hit kill like that."

"He _has_ been cooped up in his room lately… no thanks to these people!" Syrus grumbled.

"…" Alexis said nothing, turning her head to the side slightly. She too had heard much of the rumors surrounding Konami, but not having spoken with the boy on numerous occasions, she could not say whether or not they were completely false. Still, she was certain there was more to the story than what was being told. Rumors had a habit of getting out of hand, and as the student body followe them, so too had Mindy and Jasmine.

It was why they were not currently present.

"Due to Axe Dragonute's effect he is changed to Defense Position after attacking." Konami muttered, watching his strongest Dragon steadily lower its axe and kneel onto the ground patiently. "So I'll set two cards and end my Turn." Konami muttered, emptying his hand.

"Not just yet! I activate the Trap Card, Return Soul!" Dimitri shouted through the smoke, revealing his face-down card. "Now, I can return up to three monsters destroyed this Turn from the Graveyard to the owner's Deck! That means my Cyber Soldier of Darkworld goes back to my Deck!"

"What's the point of that…?" Konami wondered. "You don't know how or when to use that card at all, do you?"

"Shut up…!" Dimitri grimaced, shuffling the monster back into his Deck. "You may have gotten me to less than a Thousand Life Points, but I'm not out yet! I won't back down, for Lady Kami's sake!"

"Lady Kami…?" Konami questioned. _"I see. Even though she treated them all cruelly…"_

"My Turn!" Dimitri shouted. "Draw!"

**TURN THREE – DIMITRI**

"I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed!" Dimitri shouted. "That means that right here, right now, I'm allowed to draw an additional two cards from the top of my Deck!"

"Yes. We all know what it does." Konami murmured impatiently.

Smiling wryly, Dimitri made to grab the two aforementioned cards, grinning upon seeing what one of them was. "Great! Now, it's time you met your match with the ace of this Deck!"

"Really…?" Konami wondered.

"Effect activate!" Dimitri shouted. "When my Opponent controls a monster and I do not, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand!"

He grabbed one of the cards in his hand swiftly, raising it to the sky before opening his lips to chant.

"The door to the World of Tomorrow opens with this creature's cry! Future! Arrives Now! Bring forth the never-ending light of the Photon, and lay waste to the forgotten lore of the past! Special Summon!" he shouted, whipping the card back before throwing it onto his Duel Disk. "The mechanical legend, _Cyber Dragon_!"

A pillar of light crashed to the earth as he finished his chant, and Dimitri grinned. Before him, the wave shattered to reveal a slender cybernetic snake-like creature with a long, whip-like tail. It screeched, its roar echoing throughout the Academy sharply.

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

"…Ah!" Syrus exclaimed, glancing at the card in surprise as did many of the other students present.

"Huh? What's wrong Sy? What's everyone all worried about?" Jaden asked.

"That card! So he really _is_ copying my brother!" Syrus shouted.

"Cyber Dragon is Zane's signature monster." Alexis explained to Jaden. "Their connection to him… is a lot like yours to your heroes, Jaden."

"Huh? Really! Sweet!" Jaden grinned, glancing at the monster eagerly. "Cyber Dragon huh…? Heh… not a bad-looking card!"

"So, how do you feel, Red Hat, knowing that this is where your journey ends?!" Dimitri asked, clenching his fist in delight. "With my Cyber Dragon on the Field, all my paths and strategies are now open, and I'll start my first one… by using it to destroy your Lord of D.!"

"Nice try, but I have a Face-Down Card!" Konami shouted. "The Draconic Trap – Burst Breath!"

"What?!" Dimitri asked.

"Allow me to explain." Konami started. "Through the power of this Trap Card, I can Tribute one face-up Dragon-type Monster on my side of the Field. Then, all face-up monsters on the Field with _Defense_ Points less than my Tributed Dragon's _Attack_ Points… are destroyed! Go, Axe Dragonute! Lay waste to the Field with the might of my Trap!"

The axe-wielding Dragon roared at the command, rising to its full height before spraying a torrent of deadly hellfire upon both sides of the Field. Element Dragon and Lord of D. screamed as they too were consumed, and Dimitri shielded his eyes as the fire made to consume his monster as well.

"What?! The monster's Defense…?" he whispered, squinting at the Cyber Dragon card through the flames. "But… Cyber Dragon only has Sixteen-Hundred Defense!"

"That's right!" Konami explained. "And that's lower than Axe Dragonute's Two-Thousand Attack Points, which means… your Cyber Dragon is toast!"

The mechanical monster screeched once more before shattering into golden light, leaving Dimitri with a empty Field yet again.

"Impossible…! He beat Cyber Dragon in an instant…?! But that's Zane's card…!"

"And now it's my move!" Konami shouted, "Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KONAMI**

"I activate my other Face-Down, Call of the Haunted!" Konami roared, "Now I can revive one monster in my Graveyard in Attack Position, and I'm choosing my Lord of D.!"

The Spellcaster harrumphed as he was revived through the power of Konami's Trap, his armor and body unscathed from the infernal flames that cost him his life only moments ago.

Lord of D. – (DARK/Spellcaster) – LV4 – (1200/1100)

"Now!" Konami shouted. "Direct Attack! Go!"

The Lord of D. nodded, raising its hands to collect a sphere of dark energy from within its palms. As the orb pulsed and grew, the Spellcaster cried out and fired it forward, sending it straight toward Dimitri in a swirling wave.

"No… No… Noooooooo_ooooooooooooooooo_!"

"It's over." Konami stated, turning away from the falling boy as his monster's attack engulfed him whole.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**DIMITRI – 0 LP**

The students present were silent. Never before… to see a Slifer so utterly trounce someone ranked above them… it was unsettling. Jaden and co. were the first to recover, and Alexis sighed, shaking her head at the pathetic display.

"I guess that just goes to show that just having the Deck doesn't mean you know how to use it." She determined, raising a hand to her forehead.

"Yeah! Konami!"

"Way to go!"

The two boys didn't hear her, already having pressed through the crowd to congratulate their fellow Slifer.

"Wow, you actually did it!" Syrus explained. "You beat my brother's Deck!"

"What…?" Konami asked, turning to stare at Syrus in confusion.

"Heh, never mind all that. What was with those high-power attacks?" Jaden asked with a grin. "You didn't waste any time in laying him out, did you pal?"

"No. I wanted it over with." Konami revealed.

"Why…?" Dimitri whispered from behind them. "Why didn't I win…? I made all the calculations… recorded all the strategies…!"

"…?" Konami turned back to his foe, watching as he slammed his fists to the ground in despair.

"Why…?!"

"Hey…" Konami began, only to be cut off as something flew past him.

A sandwich.

Glancing in the direction it came from, Konami came face-to-face with a horde of angry students.

"Oi! What's the big idea, Red Hat?!" one of them suddenly roared, prompting the rest to finally cry out in rage at the boy as well.

"_Trying to get rid of another one?!"_

_"Were you that hateful and ruthless with Kami too?!"_

"_Stop attacking those better than you!"_

"_Get out of here!"_

"S_top showing your face around here, Red Hat!"_

More and more taunts and jeers echoed throughout the crowd, much to the Slifer's surprise.

Then… they started throwing things.

Sandwiches, notebooks, it was complete anarchy.

Crying out, Konami raised his Duel Disk to shield himself, as did Jaden and Syrus, who were caught up in the situation.

"O-Oi! Cut it out guys! It's all fun and games, right?" Jaden asked, unsure.

He was cut off by a sandwich smacking into his face.

"Ow!"

Konami grimaced, analyzing the scene through a squinted eye as the surrounding students continued to throw things.

"Hey…!" Alexis breathed from the sidelines. "Cut it out!"

"Not good…" Konami muttered beneath his breath.

"We need to get out of here!" Syrus shouted rationally. "This isn't looking good for us!"

"You're right!" Jaden agreed, grabbing one of the flying sandwiches with his free hand for later. "Let's split!"

Nodding in agreement with the pair, Konami began to flee back to the Red Dorm. The students, surprisingly, did not make to follow, though they continued to throw things until the trio was out of sight.

Alexis scowled at the scene.

"Really…! Never… in all my life…"

She didn't know what to say.

But as she locked eyes with a blue-eyed Obelisk watching the scene from afar with distaste, one thing was certain.

"Red Hat" was being cruelly and unusually punished…

…and there was no end in sight.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

As he returned to his room, Zane sighed. Dimitri's loss had come as a relief to the Obelisk. Finally, the boy would find someone else to mimic, but…

Zane's eyes narrowed.

The way the student body reacted was far from acceptable. No matter what he had done, "Red Hat" Konami was a Duelist, and deserved to be treated as such. Still, the boy's tactics were ruthless and overpowering, far unlike what he'd heard from others who'd witnessed the boy's Duel with Bastion.

Something was amiss.

It had appeared as though Konami cared little for his opponent during the Duel, and sought nothing else but his own safety. It was disappointing, what with Zane thinking he'd found a worthy opponent, but at the same time, strangely infuriating.

To have his Cyber-Style Deck defeated so easily, even in the hands of an absolute amateur… Zane clutched his chest, not knowing why he felt the way he did. It was as if something nasty reared its ugly head inside him, demanding a Duel with the boy.

What was it that demanded it of him...? His title as Top Student...? His pride as a Duelist...?

Zane didn't know, but it did not matter.

"…Konami." he whispered to no one, glancing out the window of his room. "You defeated my Deck… but what will happen when you face someone who actually knows how to use it…?"

* * *

**END**


	12. Zane X Pain

"Ugh… this stuff is never gonna come out."

It was sunset. Jaden, Konami, and Syrus had all made it back to the dorm unharmed, though the same could not be said for their clothes. Sandwich stains and dirt littered the red fabric of their Slifer Uniforms, and even worse, their hair.

"…This just isn't fair!" Syrus complained. "How am I supposed to get this out of my hair?! Don't they know how hard it is to keep it this way?!"

Blinking, Konami stared at the smallest member of the three, watching as Syrus attempted to pull the strange goop of a Destiny Sandwich off of his head.

"Buck up Sy," Jaden said, "we all got hit pretty hard… but man Konami, those guys must really hate you! You won the Duel and they were still pretty pissed! Things are gonna be rough for a while…"

"Yeah…" Konami agreed, nodding his head slowly. "…Sorry. By moving here I dragged you both into this…"

"Aw, don't worry about it! This is no sweat!" Jaden assured him with a grin. "Besides, there's no way we could leave you to take all the heat by yourself! That's not what friends do, right Syrus?"

"Right…" Syrus agreed, albeit slowly. "…We'll back you up… not that I'll be much help…"

"Heh…" Jaden laughed. "See? Nothing to it!"

Konami nodded, knowing Jaden's words to be true. Though he himself had not known it until that morning, Jaden had been fighting for him for quite some time, with no thought of payment or reward. Konami sighed at the thought, realizing he'd have to thank the "Heroic" Slifer somehow.

"I owe you one, Jaden." he said softly, earning another laugh from the boy.

"Nah! I still owe _you_ one, remember?" Jaden asked, referring to the numerous times he'd been saved in the Girls' Dorm. "You kept Kami from seeing us, though I don't think it really helped that much in the end!"

"Kami…" Konami murmured the name quietly, thinking of the blue-haired Obelisk who was nowhere to be seen. "Whatever she told them is the reason this is happening…"

"Oh, right! This whole hazing thing started because you beat her at the Promotion Duels, didn't it?" Jaden recalled. "She must have been pretty upset about it to sic everyone on you like this!"

"Idiot. There's more to it than that." Konami explained.

"That's right!" Syrus agreed, a frown crossing his face. "From what I heard, her entire family went bankrupt after the Promotion Duels, so she had to leave school to help figure things out! If you match the times up… it's no wonder they think you're responsible for her leaving Konami!

"…but I _am_ responsible." Konami disagreed. "At least… somewhat. It _was_ the outcome of the Duel that decided Kami's fate… and it was all because I beat her that this is happening…"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Jaden asked. "How it could be your fault she left? All you did was beat her in a Duel, right?"

Quickly, Konami explained everything that had happened during the Promotion Duel, up to and including Wisteria's involvement in the situation. By the time he'd finished, Syrus and Jaden had surprised looks on their faces, and their eyes were wide in disbelief.

"No way…! So you're saying that Wisteria was the one who did it all?!" Syrus asked in surprise. "But… wasn't she Kami's friend?!"

"That's not right…!" Jaden winced angrily. "Duels are supposed to be for fun… and yet…!"

"Either way… it looks like you're a victim in this just as much as Kami is…" Syrus murmured.

"Yeah… but what are we going to do?" Jaden asked. "In their current state, I doubt the student body is gonna buy a story like that!"

"No. If anything, I think they already know." Another voice said from behind them, drawing their attention.

"Alexis!" Jaden exclaimed in surprise.

"I heard everything." The Obelisk revealed, approaching the three Slifers steadily. "And I'll admit that what you said does seem to match up with a lot of the rumors circulating the Obelisk Dorms… though those don't exactly paint you as the victim…"

"I'm sure." Konami agreed. "Otherwise they wouldn't attack me like this."

"…You guys definitely look like you've had it rough…" Alexis agreed, "…and it's hardly acceptable for the school to be reacting like this."

"You're right… but there's nothing to be done about it." Konami shrugged.

"Oh, don't be like that! I'm sure we can figure something out!" Jaden exclaimed cheerfully. "We just need to sit down for a minute, do some of that… what's it called again? Brainstorming!"

"I'm afraid none of you will have the time for that, Jaden Yuki." A stern voice explained from behind Alexis, interrupting the group's conversation.

Quickly, Alexis turned around in surprise, her eyes widening as she gazed upon the speaker.

From the shadows of the forest Zane Truesdale emerged, his face set in a calm, collected gaze. He approached the group slowly, watching their expressions shift through several emotions before settling on whatever suited them best.

"Brother…" Syrus whispered, immediately glancing away from the older boy.

"Syrus," Zane acknowledged, glancing at the boy for only an instant. "It's been a while."

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Two**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"Zane… so you're the strongest Duelist everyone's been talking about…" Konami noted, taking the boy's appearance in. "The Top Student of the Academy…"

"And you," Zane acknowledged the Slifer, staring him down with his serious gaze. "I've heard stories about you as well, "Red Hat" Konami."

Konami frowned at his unwanted moniker, his curiosity at Zane's presence quickly turning to animosity toward him. Luckily however, Alexis had decided to speak up, asking the question on everyone's minds.

"What are you doing here, Zane?" she asked, simple curiosity in her tone. "You never seemed like the type to roam around aimlessly…"

"I could ask the same of you, Alexis." Zane retorted, before closing his eyes in thought. "It's been a while since I've been slumming, and I heard a certain someone defeated a Cyber Deck. Thought I'd see what's what."

"Heh, then you don't mind if I ask you for a Duel while you're hanging around, do ya?!" Jaden asked, tightening his fist in anticipation.

"Jaden Yuki…" Zane murmured, staring at the HERO-using Slifer for the briefest of moments. "Challenge me? No thanks. At this point… I have my sights on someone else."

He turned his gaze back to Konami, and the two stared at each other for several seconds.

"…Why are you here?" Konami repeated Alexis's earlier question, deciding that "slumming" wasn't a good enough answer.

Zane's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "The Cyber-style Deck I was known for was defeated in an instant… my pride as a Duelist can't let that lie unchallenged. You understand, don't you, Red Hat? What it means to have your pride? Standing by as someone mocks my Deck, be it unintentional or not… is not something I can allow."

Konami said nothing.

Dimitri had been using Zane's Deck. Konami had inferred that much from what Jaden and Syrus had said after the fact. Even so, the boy did not see what that had to do with him. As far as he was concerned, if anyone had mocked Zane's Deck, it was Dimitri himself.

"Staying quiet won't get you out of this." Zane said seriously. "Do you understand, Red Hat? Neither of us is leaving here… until you accept my Challenge."

"A Challenge…?" Syrus breathed, "By my brother?"

"Zane…" Alexis frowned, gripping at her uniform in surprise. "Don't tell me that you…"

"No." the Obelisk cut the girl off. "This has nothing to do with whatever rumors are circulating the school. I merely wish to wipe clean the stain now carried upon my Deck… and see whether or not _he_ is capable of respecting his opponent."

"Respecting my opponent…?" Konami asked. "…even when they don't respect me…?"

Zane said nothing to that, shuffling his Deck quietly before sliding his Deck into his Duel Disk. He watched Konami for several moments before finally moving to speak again. "Well? Do you accept my challenge, Red Hat?"

"…"

"Man, a chance to Duel against the strongest student…!" Jaden winced. "I wish I was in your shoes right now Konami!"

"You'll get your chance." Zane explained. "But right now, your friend is the only one I'm interested in."

"…Alright." Konami agreed after a moment. "I'll Duel you."

"I knew you would." Zane replied simply.

There was no distaste or sarcasm in his voice; just plain fact.

"We will both begin with Four-Thousand Life Points." the Obelisk continued, watching Konami shuffle his own Deck and prepare his Duel Disk. "Would you like to go first?"

"…." Konami frowned subtly, unsure if it was a loaded question. No, he stopped his line of thought. Against the strongest student… even if it was a Deck he'd beaten less than an hour ago… he needed every advantage he could get. "Yeah. I'll go first."

Zane closed his eyes for a moment, before nodding his acceptance. "Very well. Then, we shall begin."

The two raised their Duel Disks, and the group quickly scattered to the sidelines.

"Zane… he's usually not the type of person to care about such things…" Alexis couldn't help but notice.

"You seem to know this guy pretty well Alexis!" Jaden said. "So what do you think? Think Konami stands a chance?"

"Of course not." Syrus shook his head. "My brother is the strongest there is… that's all there is to it."

"There's more to it than that." Alexis disagreed. "But… you are right. I don't doubt for one second… that Zane will win this Duel."

**DUEL**

**ZANE VS KONAMI**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**ZANE – 4000 LP**

"My Turn! Draw!" Konami shouted swiftly, grabbing a card from the top of his Deck.

**TURN ONE - KONAMI**

"I'll start things off with this! The Masked Dragon, in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, paying Alexis no mind as the Duel began.

In a flood of light the red-bellied dragon appeared in a sea of flame, its dry roar echoing throughout the fields loudly.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"An ordinary tactic… one you seem to use often in your Duels." Zane noted, his arms folded patiently as he waited for Konami to finish.

"That's right…" Konami agreed, "…and it's one I like to follow up with this! The Dragon Magic – Dragon's Gunfire! This allows me to inflict Eight-Hundred Points of Damage to my opponent's Life Points, so long as I have a Dragon-Type monster on my side of the Field! And since my Masked Dragon just happens to be of the Dragon-Type, that means this damage goes through! Let's go, Masked Dragon!" Konami roared, throwing his fist forward toward Zane valiantly. "Light him up with Karyu no Kaendan!"

The FIRE monster roared upon heeding its master's words, its rocky jaw snapping open to release a torrent of hellfire out toward their opponent. Zane said nothing as the holographic flames washed over him, his body not twitching an inch upon contact. Slowly, the Obelisk's Life Points began to drop.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**ZANE – 3200 LP**

"I'll set two cards and end my Turn." Konami declared, rising to his full height upon finishing his move. "How's that, "strongest student?"" he asked. "Are my tactics good enough for you?"

"We're about to find out." Zane muttered, moving his hand toward his Deck. "Here goes. Draw."

**TURN TWO – ZANE**

"I'm activating an effect from my hand." Zane explained. "When my opponent controls a monster when I don't, I am allowed to Special Summon this card from my hand. Behold, the might of my Cyber Dragon!"

He placed the card down on his Duel Disk gently, an emerald light filling the Field as a familiar shriek echoed through the air. In an instant, the long, silver-plated body of the machine came into view, and with a gleam in its eyes, the dragon made to roar once more.

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

"_He didn't use a summon chant…"_ Konami noted. _"Show off…"_

"Next, I'll activate the effect of a Spell Card in my hand." Zane continued, ignorant to Konami's thoughts. "Heavy Storm. This card destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the Field, which means your two face-down cards are no longer a threat."

Konami's eyes widened as the hulking gust of wind tore through the Field, annihilating his Mirror Force and Magical Cylinder with ease. Konami cursed as he watched Zane study the Field, as if ensuring there were no final traps left to play.

"Hm… you placed too many too soon." Zane commented, before shrugging his shoulders coolly. "Regardless… my Cyber Dragon can now attack your Masked Dragon directly. Go, my monster! Destroy it with _Strident Blast – Evolution Burst!_"

In a rare moment of liveliness, Zane swept his hand out toward the Field. His Cyber Dragon seemed to move in perfect sync with the motion, releasing a wave of blue streams that engulfed Masked Dragon, and Konami by comparison, with ease.

"A-Aaaah…!" Konami cried out, feeling the monster's attack wash over him swiftly.

His Life Points began to drop, and barely, he could make out the sound of his monster shattering.

**KONAMI – 3300 LP**

**ZANE – 3200 LP**

"…Tch…! With Masked Dragon is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon another Dragon-Type monster with Fifteen-Hundred or less Attack Points from my Deck!" Konami explained, making use of his dragon's demise to maintain his Field Presence. "Since I don't have anything like that that can destroy your Cyber Dragon right off the bat, I'll settle for this!" he grabbed a monster card from his Deck before slapping it out onto the Field in Defense Position. "Come on out, Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"

Several bolts of lightning struck down upon the Field, and with an elegant roar, a swirling, lightning-filled creature descended from the sky above.

Divine Dragon Ragnarok – (LIGHT/Dragon) – LV4 – (1500/1000)

"Hm… I see." Zane murmured. "I end my Turn."

"Ngh…!" Konami grunted, clutching his cards tighter by the second. _"This guy…"_ he thought, _"He's not reacting to any of my moves at all! Is he just that focused on the Duel, or does he think that being the strongest Duelist of the Academy automatically makes him better than the rest of us?!"_

"Well, there goes the easy victory Konami had last time!" Jaden joked on the sidelines, speaking only to Sy and Alexis.

"Of course it wouldn't be an easy victory… you don't really think that Dimitri could use my brother's Deck properly did you?" Syrus asked in a downcast manner, glancing at the ground beneath his feet. "Now that Zane's got his Cyber Dragon out on the Field, it's over. There's no way Konami can win now!"

"Aw come on Syrus, he's still got a chance! Their Life Points are about equal after all!" Jaden explained. "There's no telling who will win until the Duel's over!"

"You sound pretty sure of that." Alexis commented.

"Of course I am!" Jaden grinned. "After all, I proved it with you, didn't I?"

Konami grimaced, keeping his attention on the Duel before him. Zane's Cyber Dragon was not overly powerful, but unlike before, Konami did not have access to Burst Breath to wipe it away. He tightened the grip on his cards.

"I've destroyed that Cyber Dragon once, Zane!" he decided, having faith in his Deck as he drew his card. "And I'm certain I can do it again!"

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"Like right now for instance!" he shouted, seeing the card he had drawn. "I'm Tributing my Divine Dragon Ragnarok to create an even stronger monster!"

The card in his hand gleamed red, and he held it up to the sky while beginning a chant.

"Here and now, a single light cuts through the shadow of everlasting darkness!" Konami chanted, whirling the card about his fingers. "Savior! Avatar! Emerge now faster than the swiftest Unicorn! I Tribute my Divine Dragon to summon you here, _Dragon of the White Horn!_"

His Divine Dragon vanished from the Field, and in a flurry of light Konami crashed his card down upon his Duel Disk. A terrible roar screeched through the area as a black sphere appeared in the center of the Field, before shattering open to reveal a slender red dragon armed with a single, shining white horn. It flapped its wings powerfully, before lowering itself to stand alone against Zane's Cyber Dragon.

White-Horned Dragon – (DARK/Dragon) – LV6 – (2200/1400)

"Hm. So that's it. The monster that embodies a Slifer's soul…" Zane murmured.

"That's right, and it has an effect!" Konami shouted, thrusting his hand out to the side energetically. "When White-Horned Dragon is summoned to the Field, I can banish up to five Spell Cards in my opponent's Graveyard! Then, he gets a Three-Hundred Point Attack boost for each card removed! Since you just used that Heavy Storm of yours last turn, that means I can banish it right now to bring my dragon up to Twenty-Five Hundred Attack Points, which is more than enough for him to destroy your Cyber Dragon!" Konami roared. "Go, White-Horned Dragon! Wipe it out with your _Piledriver!_"

The Dragon roared at the command, stretching its wings to their full extent before bursting forward as quickly as it could. As its power grew through the energy of the absorbed Heavy Storm, the monster cried out once more, before piercing through Cyber Dragon with its devastating horn.

White-Horned Dragon – (DARK/Dragon) – LV6 – (2500/1400)

"...Cyber Dragon." Zane muttered, watching as the blinding light overtook his monster. Yet again, he did nothing as the difference between the two monster's Attack Points was inflicted to his Life Points.

**KONAMI – 3300 LP**

**ZANE – 2800 LP**

"How's that?!" Konami asked, clutching his fist victoriously.

"…Yet again you've overcome Cyber Dragon…" Zane acquiesced, "…but… I expected at least that much. It's my Turn now. Draw."

He slowly drew a card from his Deck, glancing at it for the briefest of moments before moving to enact his plan.

**TURN FOUR – ZANE**

"First, I activate the effect of another Cyber Dragon in my hand." Zane said, revealing the card to Konami before placing it on the Field in face-up Attack Position. "Since you control a monster and I don't, I can Special Summon it without a Tribute."

The second Cyber Dragon roared as it appeared in place of its fallen brethren, wrapping its serpentine-like body across the Field while glaring at the White-Horned Dragon angrily.

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

"What good will that do you?" Konami asked. "Its Attack Points are still lower than my White-Horned Dragon's!"

"True, but the strength gained by one can be overcome with two." Zane explained. "I activate another Spell Card from my Hand, Monster Reborn! This will allow me to Special Summon one monster from the Graveyard, and the card I choose… is my other Cyber Dragon!"

A second shriek accompanied the first as Zane's original monster rose from the abyss. The two mechanical monsters circled and roared around one another upon meeting, before turning both of their gazes back toward Konami's own dragon.

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

"…Still weaker." Konami murmured.

"Not for long." Zane disagreed. "Because now I activate the Spell Card Polymerization. Now, I can fuse two Cyber Dragons together to bring forth an ever greater Cyber creature, the Cyber Twin Dragon!"

The two Cyber Dragons disappeared in a portal of purple light, before reemerging as a single dragon armed with two sleek heads.

Cyber Twin Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV8 – (2800/2100)

"A Fusion Summon…?!" Konami asked, glancing at the new monster on the Field in surprise. "So that was your plan!"

"That's right, and now that I have a monster stronger than your White-Horned Dragon, I can get rid of it with this attack!" Zane shouted, gesturing his hand forward with ease. "Go, Cyber Twin Dragon! Take it out with your _Double Strident Blast!_"

Cyber Twin Dragon roared at the command, and instantly, twin beams of photon light leapt forth engulfing the White-Horned Dragon whole. The dragon cried out as it was overtaken immediately, leaving Konami defenseless.

**KONAMI – 3000 LP**

**ZANE – 2800 LP**

"…You'll have to do better than that…!" Konami grimaced. "I'm far from out!"

"You're right, so I guess I'll settle for activating my Cyber Twin Dragon's effect." Zane replied.

"….?!" Konami blinked in surprise, staring at the metallic creature that was quickly coiling itself for a second strike. "What did you just say…?!"

"Cyber Twin Dragon has a special ability." Zane explained. "Just as his name has the word "Twin", he can attack _twice_ during each of my Battle Phases! In other words… this time he's clear for a Direct Attack!"

"No way!" Konami shouted, "But I don't have anything on the Field to protect myself with!"

"Which means that you're about to feel the pain that comes with the Cyber-style's brutal attacks. Go, Cyber Twin Dragon! Attack Directly with your _Evolution Twin Burst!_" Zane shouted, throwing his hand forward a second time.

Yet again, the monstrous machine coiled back, its two mouths coming together to charge a single sphere of photonic light. The sphere grew brighter and brighter with each passing moment, before finally bursting forth in a stream of energy directed toward Konami's form.

"H-Huaaaaaa!" the boy cried, the light engulfing him harmfully and inflicting upon him mortal damage.

**KONAMI – 200 LP**

**ZANE – 2800 LP**

"Oh snap! That was a pretty heavy hit! You alright out there Konami?!" Jaden asked, calling out into the smoky remains of Zane's attack.

Slowly, Konami breathed out, his body worn and weary from the attack he had just received.

"I'm… still alive…!" he grunted, tightening his grip on what remaining cards he had left.

"But he only has Two-Hundred Life Points left!" Syrus said. "Another hit like that and he's finished!"

"He can't afford to make any mistakes…" Alexis said.

"Yeah…" Jaden agreed. "He'll have to hang tough!"

"Actually, he won't." Zane said, grabbing another card from his hand. "This Duel is over… with the card De-Fusion!"

"Uh oh! That's not good!" Jaden shouted, knowing from his own experiences what the card did.

"That's right." Zane said. "This is a Quick-Play Spell Card that allows me to send one Fusion Monster I control back into the Extra Deck, and then Special Summon the Fusion Material Monsters that were used for its Fusion! In other words… I can bring back my two Cyber Dragons!"

Cyber Twin Dragon screamed as it was suddenly ripped asunder, returning to its former, separate existence of two monsters.

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

Cyber Dragon – (LIGHT/Machine) – LV5 – (2100/1600)

"No way…! Then that means…!" Konami breathed.

"That I still have two more attacks to use!" Zane finished, raising his hand for the final blow. "Go, my Cyber Dragons!"

"_No way…! There's no way I can survive that hit!" _Konami thought, glancing at his hand quickly for any kind of defense. _"Is there really nothing…?! That can't be…! Because… that'll mean that…!"_

Zane seemed to pick up on Konami's thoughts, as did those watching the Duel from the sidelines. Sweeping his hand out, the strongest student made his statement clear once more.

"You've lost! Now, _Double Strident Blast!"_

The two Cyber Dragons roared in rage, and as their overwhelming power scattered throughout the Field, Konami's world went white.

"_Noooooooooooooooo!_"

**KONAMI – 0 LP**

**ZANE – 2800 LP**

Konami's Deck and hands scattered in the wake of the overwhelming opponent, and his body soon followed. The Cyber-Style attacks Konami had taken may not have been physical in nature, but their brute force, and his subsequent defeat at their hands had been more than enough to strain his mind and emotions to the breaking point.

As he hit the ground, Konami said nothing, nor did he try to move.

"Konami!" Jaden and Syrus shouted, running toward the boy quickly.

"He lost…" Alexis said aloud.

Zane lowered his Duel Disk, his Cyber Twin Dragon fading away as the Duel came to an end. He turned, knowing his job was complete.

"…Strange." He whispered, walking away. "I expected more from you… I guess I was mistaken."

"Zane…" Alexis said, quickly making to follow the boy.

The two disappeared from the scene, leaving the Slifers to their own devices.

The Duel was over, and the damage was done.

Red Hat… had lost.

* * *

**Chapter 12**

* * *

**END**


	13. Float x Boat

Konami awoke with a jerk.

With a swift motion, his body rolled out of his bed, crashing onto the wooden floor of the Slifer Dorm and resulting in a loud cry. The boy remained motionless for several seconds, allowing his body to dull the stinging sensation now rippling throughout his limbs before daring them to move.

"…it hurts…" he murmured quietly to no one, slowly crawling back to his feet.

The stinging sensation was still present, but given time, it slowly began to fade.

"I bet." A feminine voice suddenly replied to his earlier words. "It's not every day that someone falls like _that_ onto the floor. I'm surprised you can move at all, considering."

"…!" the sudden voice caught Konami by surprise.

Swiftly, he turned on his heel, coming face to face with one of the last people he'd thought he'd find infiltrating the Slifer Red Dorms. Still, it was a familiar face, and not one he associated with pain and/or annoyance. Taking in the sight, Konami's body dulled, and he made to frown. Sighing, he calmed himself, and allowed his initial surprise at her presence to fade away before addressing the speaker properly.

"Yuma…" he said simply, acknowledging the Obelisk Blue girl standing idly by the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Is it wrong for me to visit a friend?" Yuma asked. "Besides, I told you already didn't I? Boys may get in trouble for visiting the _Girls'_ Dorm… but we girls don't get in trouble for visiting boys."

"Double Standard…" Konami remembered vaguely, shaking his head at the thought. "…What happened…?"

"You tell me." Yuma said. "I came in here first thing in the morning only to find you passed out. You didn't wake up to anything I did, not even when I tried to break a few of your limbs… _it didn't work by the way._" She added swiftly, setting Konami's mind ablaze.

He had been wondering why he had been hurting so much. A fall shouldn't have been _that_ painful after all. Just what had Yuma been doing…? Konami shook his head, knowing he wouldn't get any further answers out of her. Instead he turned his mind back to the previous subject; attempting to recall just what had landed him in bed to begin with.

"I was… Dueling." He remembered, slowly envisioning the events that had occurred a day prior. "And there was… shouting… complaining."

Right. The students had ganged up on him, Konami recalled. He, Jaden, and Syrus had sought respite in the safety of the Slifer Red Dorms, but despite their attempts, they had discovered they'd been followed… by the strongest of students.

"Zane showed up." Konami breathed, an image of the blue-haired Cyber-style user appearing in his mind. "He started talking about things… respect… power…"

Konami trailed off for a moment, attempting to remember the final outcome.

"We Dueled…" Konami remembered, his eyes narrowing at his words. "…and I lost."

"You dueled Zane?" Yuma asked, her eyes wide. "Well, I suppose that explains a lot."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Konami asked, his tone sharp.

"Uh… hello? Zane is the strongest Duelist at the academy for a reason, and losing to someone like him… well, it's no wonder that you were out cold for so long." Yuma explained. "His Cyber-style Deck is one of the strongest out there, capable of pushing even the most capable Duelist to their limits. You're just a freshman, you shouldn't be aiming so high so soon."

"…You make it sound like I was the one who challenged him." Konami grunted. "He challenged me, not the other way around."

"Huh? Really?" Yuma blinked in surprise. "So that's why… sorry, it's nothing. It's just that a lot of the Obelisks back at the Dorm have been _mighty_ happy recently. I thought it was a bit strange… but I guess if they somehow found out about your Duel with Zane…"

"How would they have?" Konami asked. "No one was there but Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis, and Alexis doesn't seem like the type to talk."

"Nooo…" Yuma agreed lightly, "thought that doesn't mean that other friend of yours, Jaden doesn't, right? Tell me something. Does he _really_ seem like the kind of guy who could keep his mouth shut about anything, much less a Duel?"

Konami had the decency to sweatdrop. It was true that Jaden was a loud, rambunctious individual… even if he hadn't intended to, Konami wouldn't have been surprised if the boy had let something slip… especially considering that the loss had somehow put Konami out for a whole day.

So much time… wasted because of a loss!

Konami clutched his hands tightly. How could he have let that happen…?

"Zane…!" the boy whispered to himself, glaring at the floor at the thought of the sheer pressure emitted from that overpowering foe.

"Oh, and while we're on the subject of Duels, aren't you gonna congratulate that nerdy friend of yours?" Yuma asked while folding her arms. "He supposedly pulled out a pretty decisive win over Chazz Princeton earlier, though it isn't really all that great, considering that Princeton already lost to Jaden."

"Nerdy friend…?" Konami asked, scratching his forehead lightly as he spoke, attempting to think of anyone he knew who could carry such a title. "You mean Bastion…? He beat Chazz recently? I hadn't known."

"Of course not. You were unconscious." Yuma explained. "Not that you would've found out anyway, staying cooped up in here like you have been. Aren't you getting tired of it all?"

"…Yeah…" Konami nodded after a moment, a frown forming on his lips. "…but I went out yesterday. Everyone just screamed at me… They blame me for Kami's situation."

"Well screw them!" Yuma shouted, flinging her arm about wildly. "What do they know about it?! It's not like they were there to see what happened first-hand! People relying on half-assed rumors can just butt out!"

"…!" Konami reeled back at the girl's sudden outburst, not having expected it from the typically monotone, though blunt, Obelisk.

Evidently, Yuma hadn't quite expected it herself, if the blush adorning her features was any indication.

"A-Anyway," she said quickly, turning away from Konami before he could respond, "you should go congratulate Bastion. I'm sure he'd like it. And who knows, maybe talking to him will get you out of this irritating mood you've been in."

Without another word she left the room, leaving Konami alone in its messy contents.

"Should I go see Bastion…?" he asked himself, moving to stare up toward his ceiling.

It was true that the Ra Yellows were renowned for their genius, and being the person he was, Bastion was certain to have one or two good ideas to run by Konami. The boy didn't get the top scores among the first-year students for nothing after all, and even if Bastion called himself the "Number Three" student… his mind was certainly Number One.

Yes.

Konami knew that he should speak with Bastion for insight in his current situation. If anyone was to have good advice, it would be him. Besides, there was the other matter to attend to as well. Bastion beating Chazz… had it really happened? If so, how could Konami have missed it so easily? Perhaps his hiding hadn't done him any good after all.

Sighing, he made his way over to his closet and grabbed the Slifer Uniform mysteriously hanging on the coat hanger. Strange… he knew he wouldn't have had time to remove it, having passed out immediately after his Duel with Zane… had Jaden or Syrus put it there for him…? He shook his head. It didn't matter, so long as they didn't get too personal with him. Throwing the red fabric over his shoulders, Konami moved away from the closet and grabbed his Deck.

Forty cards of high-power Dragons… and they still lost to Zane! Was the Obelisk simply that strong? Or had Konami's initial disinterest cost him the Duel?

Konami tightened his grip on the Deck slightly, before sliding it into his holster.

One thing was certain… he wouldn't find out by lazing around.

He donned his red hat, and quickly adjusted it so the rim hid his eyes. The path to the Yellow Dorm would be wrought with danger, and given the time of day, Konami was sure that many students would be out and about, ready to harass him at a moment's notice. They would be terrible, those ignorant students. They'd throw things and shout, push and pull, if he got too close… Indeed, as the most hated student, Konami had made a name for himself; and with Wisteria gone, there was no one else around to take the blame for what had happened.

But that didn't matter. He had a goal now, a plan; he'd visit Bastion and have him explain just why Konami was feeling the way he did. Konami wanted, no, he _needed_ answers… and he'd die before he didn't get them.

Konami's eyes narrowed, and he stepped outside into the fresh air.

It was time to see Bastion.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Three**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"Well, I certainly won't say that it's not a surprise, seeing you here now." Bastion said, seated neatly at his desk.

Konami sat just behind him, having rather comfortably hijacked the boy's bed when given the opportunity. After all, it was supposed to be his in the first place.

"You disappear for a week, not bothering to let anyone know you're skipping class… and all of a sudden I hear stories of you annihilating one of my fellow Ra Yellows in a Duel before losing to Zane Truesdale, of all people! You certainly have a flair for the dramatic, though you may not know it yourself." Bastion chuckled to himself at that, swirling away from his desk to glance upon Konami properly. "It is good to see you Konami, but I must ask, what are you doing here? While it's good of you to visit, you never took the time for a social call _before_ your… unfortunate circumstances, and I certainly didn't expect one now!"

"Did you not hear me ask it before?" Konami questioned, earning a surprised look from the Ra.

"Apparently not." Bastion breathed. "You know I can get with my studies some times. My apologies, I've been preparing for a Duel with Jaden Yuki."

"Jaden…? Gunning straight for Number One then huh?" Konami asked.

Bastion smiled lightly at the words. "That's right. If I defeat him, the strongest Slifer… then the whole school will have to acknowledge my genius, and perhaps then they will listen to me about other things as well…" he winced at that, as if recalling an unpleasant moment. "Then again… it seems the faculty already respects my mind. Even Professor Crowler saw fit to arrange a Duel with that Princeton fellow…!"

"I heard about that." Konami spoke up. "Yuma told me you got in a pretty decisive blow."

"Indeed I did. It's strange… I had initially built the Deck I used to defeat _you_, Konami." Bastion chuckled, before scowling at the wall. "But then that accursed Princeton threw my other cards into the water… so I was forced to unveil its secrets earlier than planned…!"

"Secrets huh…?" Konami asked. "Plotting something big?"

"N-Not at all!" Bastion assured Konami, waving him down. "I just like to have multiple strategies available at any given moment is all! And speaking of strategies… what are you planning to do about the school?"

The reminder drained Konami's enthusiasm, and he glanced toward the floor with a frown. "I don't know."

"To be honest, when I heard you lost to Zane I expected them to back off a bit," Bastion explained, "though it seems that hasn't been the case."

"Not at all." Konami agreed. "Even on my way here I was harassed."

"For all my genius I simply don't understand it!" Bastion winced. "Why on earth do they want revenge for someone who doesn't even like them?! At least with the Obelisks I can understand! They were considered "elites" and "worth her time" so to speak… but the Ra Yellows and your fellow Slifers? It just doesn't make sense!"

Konami shrugged. He wasn't going to pretend to understand what was going on in their heads.

"Maybe they're under the impression that they'll get some kind of reward if she ever comes back?" he asked, "Or maybe… it's an "I hate you, but I hate them more" kind of thing?"

"Who knows?" Bastion sighed, turning his attention back to his desk. "But if it keeps up like this, how are you going to complete your studies?"

"Dunno." Konami shrugged.

"…" Bastion glanced back at the boy for a moment before sighing. "Here," he said, handing the boy a large notebook. "The notes you missed in classes."

"Huh…?" Konami asked, flipping the pages open only to find endless stratagems and words sprawled across each sheet. "You made this…?"

"Of course!" Bastion smirked. "I'm the smartest student at this academy, I can't afford to have my best friend appear to be some uneducated fool now can I? Needless to say, those notes aren't quite as potent as my own copy, but they should ensure that you at least pass the class. Of course, they won't help you if you don't actually show up to take the exams, mind you. There's one next week, are you prepared…?"

"…" Konami didn't respond to the question, instead flipping through each page intently. As he thought, Bastion was a genius. He'd sat through the same classes he had, and never had any of the teachers gone that far into detail. So many opportunities, and methods to exploit…

"Bastion…" Konami murmured, grabbing the Ra Yellow's attention. "Duel me again."

"Hm…? What was that?" Bastion asked, not quite hearing the boy the first time.

"I said…" Konami repeated, holding the notebook up eagerly. "Duel me!"

**-GX-**

**Before he could refuse, Konami dragged Bastion to the nearest Duel Arena…**

**-GX-**

"Are you sure about this?" Bastion questioned as they entered the Duel Arena. "I'm not sure if now is the best time…"

"If not now, then when?" Konami asked. "Besides, you said it yourself. You plan on taking on Number One without defeating Number Two. There's no way I can just stand by and let that happen, regardless of what people think of me."

"Heh…" Bastion chuckled. "I suppose you're right. What on earth was I thinking? Besides, we never did have our rematch, did we Konami? In that case…"

He ripped his uniform open, revealing the six Deck holster clad beneath yet again. Twirling about, he grabbed one of the many Decks before sliding it into his Duel Disk and raising it to the sky.

"It's time to Duel, Konami!"

Shaking his head at the boy's antics, Konami shuffled and slid his own Deck into his Duel Disk. "I couldn't agree more."

The two stared at each other forcefully. Finally, the rematch they'd been waiting for was upon them. It was time to Duel!

**DUEL**

**KONAMI VS BASTION**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**BASTION – 4000 LP**

"I'll be going first!" Konami shouted, earning a nod from Bastion. "My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN ONE – KONAMI**

"I'll start things off nice and slow, with my Masked Dragon in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, throwing the FIRE Dragon onto his Duel Disk swiftly.

In a pillar of flames the red-bellied monster emerged, snapping its rocky jaws multiple times before stumbling into its position with a hideous roar.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"I'll set one card and end my Turn!" Konami finished, clutching his hand to wait and see how Bastion would respond.

"Just as my calculations predicted." Bastion mused. "You summoned a dragon. In that case… it's my move! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – BASTION**

"Just like you, I shall be summoning a monster!" Bastion exclaimed. "The difference however… lies in its strength! Come forth, Oxygeddon, in Attack Position!"

In a wave of light a swirling mass of green appeared, shifting and changing until finally taking on the appearance of a winged dinosaur. Oxygen whirled around its form rapidly, and it squawked, raising its winged arms to the sky to declare its arrival.

Oxygeddon – (WIND/Dinosaur) – LV4 – (1800/800)

"Now then…" Bastion said. "Oxygeddon, attack Konami's Masked Dragon with your _Oxygen Strike!_"

The chemical dinosaur shrieked in acknowledgment. Moving quickly, it soared through the Field, disappearing into a fluid green mist before wrapping around Masked Dragon intently. In response, Konami's dragon suddenly cried out, its body unable to cope with the sudden loss of air. In a horde of flames it shattered, leaving Oxygeddon alone on the Field.

Konami winced as several sprinkles of fire fell toward him from his monster's destruction, inflicting damage to his Life Points. Still, he wasn't about to call quits due to a single attack.

**KONAMI – 3600 LP**

**BASTION – 4000 LP**

"You may have destroyed my Masked Dragon, but another is coming right back out!" Konami explained, swiftly moving his hand to his Deck. "Thanks to Masked Dragon's effect, when he's destroyed by battle with an opponent's monster, I can Special Summon one Dragon-Type monster from my Deck, so long as it has under Fifteen-Hundred Attack Points! That means, I can bring out another Masked Dragon to take the first's place!"

Bastion's eyes went wide at the revelation, though he said nothing. In a second pillar of flames, another Masked Dragon emerged, roaring out in mourn for its fallen brethren.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"Summon all the Masked Dragons you like," Bastion said. "It won't change the fact that their Attack Points are lower than my Oxygeddon's!"

"Yeah," Konami chuckled mockingly. "We'll see about that. My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"It's about time I showed you the power of the FIRE Field – Molten Destruction!" Konami exclaimed, revealing his face-down card. "With this, the Attack of all face-up FIRE monsters on the Field rises by Five-Hundred Points, at the expense of their Defense Points falling by Four-Hundred Points, but since I'm not defending… that means my Masked Dragon now has enough power to destroy your Oxygeddon!"

Masked Dragon roared in agreement as the Field warped and changed, replacing the bland, generic Duel Arena with an ashy plain several meters away from an erupting volcano.

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV4 – (1900/700)

"And don't forget!" Konami continued, grabbing another card in his hand. "Since Masked Dragon was _Special_ Summoned using an effect… that means I still have a Normal Summon to use this turn as well! Come forth now, Flame Ruler!"

A second pillar of flames erupted from the Field, and as it died down, a blue-haired man clad in a royal red robe appeared.

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (2000/1200)

"Now, go Flame Ruler! Wipe out that Oxygeddon with your _Flamethrower_!"

With a loud yell, the blue-haired man gathered the heat of the earth deep within his palms, before releasing it all in a single stream of hellfire that rained down upon Bastion's monster. Unfortunately however, things did no go as Konami planned. As soon as Flame Ruler's attack made contact with Oxygeddon, the Chemical Dinosaur turned a sinister red.

Bastion smirked.

"Behold, Konami! The effect of my Oxygeddon! While it's true I may take damage from your monster's attack, the fact that your Flame Ruler is a Pyro monster makes this all possible!"

"What?" Konami asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The effect of Oxygeddon of course!" Bastion exclaimed. "When it's destroyed by battle with a Pyro-Type monster, we both take Eight-Hundred Points of damage!"

"What did you say?!" Konami asked.

"I don't have to repeat myself, for you'll see the results soon enough!" Bastion shouted. "Come now Oxygeddon! _Combust!_"

The dinosaur squawked at Bastion's command, exploding above the center of the Field into a downpour of flaming rain. Bastion and Konami both winced as the flames fell toward their person, inflicting both of them with Eight-Hundred Points worth of injuries, as well as whatever Battle Damage they may have earlier received.

**KONAMI – 2800 LP**

**BASTION – 3000 LP**

"Well, Bastion… you may have inflicted more damage on me, but don't forget I still have another monster to attack with!" Konami shouted. "Go, Masked Dragon! Light him up with a Direct Attack!"

Masked Dragon roared at the command, its red underbelly glowing with heat as it unleashed a torrent of flames upon Bastion. The Ra Yellow cried out as the flames washed over him, inflicting further damage upon the boy than he thought was necessary.

**KONAMI – 2800 LP**

**BASTION – 1100 LP**

"Tsk…! As I thought, those Dragons of yours are very worthy opponents!" Bastion exclaimed, recovering in an instant to clutch his hand tightly. "Even my analyses did not foresee you damaging me this much! Once again, you show me how powerful of an opponent you are! There's no question as to how you defeated Dimitri so swiftly."

"Now, now… keep the flattering until after I've won the Duel." Konami said.

"Yes, you are correct." Bastion agreed, though his eyes narrowed. "But if you think you're going to win this Duel you have another thing coming, Konami! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – BASTION**

"I'll begin with the Spell Card Mystical Space Typhoon!" Bastion shouted, earning Konami's shock. "That's right! Now, I can destroy one Spell or Trap on the Field, and the one I choose is… your Field Spell – Molten Destruction!"

As he spoke a bolt of lightning crashed down upon the Field, obliterating the area in a wave of shining light. Bastion and Konami winced as the wave engulfed them as well, restoring the area into the bland, generic arena it once was.

"And with your Field Spell gone," Bastion continued with a smirk, "don't forget that your monster's Attack and Defense Points return to their original value as well!"

Konami grimaced at the words, watching as his two FIRE monsters lost the flaming aura that came with being in their home territory.

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (1500/1600)

Masked Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV3 – (1400/1100)

"And since they are… I believe I'll summon my Hydrogeddon now to deal with them, in Attack Position!" Bastion roared.

As he slapped the card onto his Duel Disk, a wave of brown fluid swept onto the Field, wrapping and whirling around itself before unveiling its true form; that of a murky, four-legged creature with angry yellow eyes.

Hydrogeddon – (WATER/Dinosaur) – LV4 – (1600/1000)

"Darn…!" Konami thought aloud. "It's stronger!"

"That's right!" Bastion agreed, "Which means… it can destroy your Flame Ruler with ease! Go Hydrogeddon! Wipe it out with _Hydrogen Strike!_"

The monster hissed, raw hydrogen spiking from its back before erupting from its jaws in a single, concentrated stream. Flame Ruler cried out as the substance coated him fully, and in a self-destructive fashion, he exploded, inflicting Konami with damage from the attack.

**KONAMI – 2700 LP**

**BASTION – 1100 LP**

"Tsk…! I still have Masked Dragon!" he said.

"Not for long, because Hydrogeddon has an effect!" Bastion explained. "When he destroys an opponent's monster by battle, I can Special Summon _another _Hydrogeddon from my Deck, and since it's still the Battle Phase… he can attack as well!"

Hydrogeddon roared as a second form of itself suddenly appeared on the Field, hissing and snapping much like its carbon copy.

Hydrogeddon – (WATER/Dinosaur) – LV4 – (1600/1000)

"Go my second Hydrogeddon!" Bastion shouted. "Blow that dragon away!"

The monster hissed yet again, sending forth a similar stream of Hydrogen out toward Konami's lone monster. In repeat fashion, Masked Dragon exploded, and Konami yet again felt the sting of Battle Damage ripple down his spine.

**KONAMI – 2500 LP**

**BASTION – 1100 LP**

"Masked Dragon's effect activates!" Konami shouted, reminding Bastion of what happened when the creature was defeated in battle. "Now, I can Special Summon one Dragon-type Monster from my Deck! What I choose is… this! Totem Dragon! Take to the Field!"

With a small squawk, a yellow dragon burst onto the Field, its body little more than a small totem-shaped orb. Bastion gazed at the creature in confusion, before returning his mind to the matter at hand.

Totem Dragon – (EARTH/Dragon) – LV2 – (400/200)

"So you defended yourself again by using the same tactic~" Bastion understood, nodding his head firmly. "Very well, in that case… I shall do the same! I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn!"

Konami's eyes gleamed. "Really? That's too bad, because it'll be the last turn you make! My Move! Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KONAMI**

"That's right! This is the Final Turn!" Konami declared once more upon seeing what he had drawn. "And you're about to find out why! Behold, Totem Dragon's effect now activates!"

"What?!" Bastion asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

"While he's face-up on the Field, I can use him as two Tributes, so long as the monster I'm Advance Summoning is a Dragon-type Monster! And since there's only one monster in my Deck who requires _two_ Tributes… this world is a lot to get a whole lot hotter!"

He tossed one of his cards into the air, before catching it with his free hand and raising it to the sky. Bastion's eyes narrowed in response to the movement. He knew full well what was coming, having analyzed Konami's Deck thoroughly during the creation of his own.

A spark of flames seemed to gleam within Konami's eyes as he tightened his grip on the card in question, his words filling the empty arena with a dreadful sound.

"The King's grand jewel shines through here," he chanted, watching as his Totem Dragon was burned away in the light of sacrifice, "subjugating all who dare oppose him! Ruler! Oppressor! Rise with the might of the burning sun! I beckon you here now," he slammed his card down upon the Duel Disk, and in response, a great pillar of flames swept through the Field. "_Tyrant Dragon!_"

The roar shook the very foundations of the building itself, and as the flames died down, Bastion found himself face to face with Konami's ace monster for the very first time. It's wide, flaming jaws… its large, sharp claws… it was a dragon of dragons, and Bastion knew… it was the strongest in Konami's Deck.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2600)

"So that's it then!" Bastion exclaimed, tightening the grip on his own cards eagerly. "The Dragon you used to defeat the Obelisks!"

"That's right!" Konami nodded, his own red eyes gleaming at Bastion's words. "And right here, right now… I'll use it to beat _you_, Bastion! Tyrant Dragon's effect activates! When he attacks, if the opponent still has a monster on the Field after the first assault, he can strike a second time! Since you have _two_ Hydrogeddons on the Field in Attack Position… that means he has more than enough firepower to wipe out the rest of your Life Points!" Konami roared, throwing his fingers forward in a charging fashion. "Go Tyrant Dragon! Wipe them all out with your _Tyrant Tidal Flame!_"

The hulking behemoth roared at Konami's command, fire spilling from its jaws each time it opened its mouth. Slowly, the green gem fixated in the center of its forehead began to glow, and the creature leaned back on its hind legs, prompting a dark glow to erupt from deep within its underbelly.

It slammed back down on all fours seconds later, opening its jaws one final time to release a terrible stream of hellfire out toward Bastion and his two Hydrogen creatures.

"I'd like to say well done, but I'm afraid this Duel isn't over yet!" Bastion countered, sweeping his hand out at the last second to activate his face-down card. "I knew you'd be planning something big Konami, and that's why I placed this! The Trap Card, Waboku!"

"What?!" Konami asked in shock, his eyes widening upon hearing the name.

"Waboku!" Bastion repeated. "It's a Trap Card that not only negates any and all Battle Damage I'd receive for one Turn, but prevents my monsters from being destroyed by battle as well! In other words…" he trailed off as Tyrant Dragon's hellfire washed over him and his creatures, though no pain came from the collision. "…your monster's attack is useless!"

The light faded, revealing Bastion and his two Hydrogeddons to be safe and sound. Konami took a step back in surprise, if only from the shock that the Ra had been prepared for his assault.

"No way…! You completely stopped my Final Turn…!" Konami breathed, before narrowing his eyes in determination. "But… that doesn't mean I can't make things easier for me next go round! I activate the Dragon Magic from my hand – Dragon's Gunfire! Now, I can inflict Eight-Hundred Points of damage to you, and since it's not from an attack, your Waboku won't be able to negate the damage! Go Tyrant Dragon! Light em up one more time with Karyu no Kaendan!"

Tyrant Dragon roared in acknowledgement, releasing a single, concentrated burst of fire from its lips, which passed between Bastion's two Hydrogeddons to smash into the boy directly. Bastion hissed in pain upon contact, shielding his eyes with his Duel Disk while watching his remaining Life Points drop dangerously low.

**KONAMI – 2500 LP**

**BASTION – 300 LP**

"Now I'll end my Turn, sending things back to you one last time, Bastion!" Konami shouted.

"And one last time it will be, Konami!" Bastion replied with a smirk, "Because just as you had your Final Turn, it's time for me to have mine! My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN SIX – BASTION**

"I activate the Spell Card Living Fossil!" Bastion shouted, immediately using his drawn card from the hand. "It allows me to Special Summon one monster in my Graveyard at the cost of decreasing its Attack Points by a Thousand Points and negating any effects it may have! I'll be using it on the Oxygeddon you destroyed earlier in our Duel!"

He placed the card face-up on the Field, and its presence immediately called back the explosive Oxygen creature, prompting it to swirl about the Field before returning to its glowing prehistoric form.

Oxygeddon – (WIND/Dinosaur) – LV4 – (800/800)

"Of course, he and my Hydrogeddons won't be around for long." Bastion continued, hesitating for a single moment before reaching for another card in his hand. ""It's time I took back my place as the Number Two Student Konami!" he shouted, revealing the card in his hand. "And I'll do it with this card! The Chemical Union Spell, Bonding – H20!"

He placed the card on his Duel Disk, revealing a large green card with the artwork of a capsule filled with water inside. Konami stared at the card in confusion for several seconds, before returning his attention to Bastion.

"Alright," he muttered. "I'll bite. What does it do?"

"Just as the substance we know as water is formed from two Hydrogen Compounds and one Oxygen Compound, so too does Bonding – H20 work by making me Tribute two Hydrogeddons and one Oxygeddon on my side of the Field! Of course, the fun doesn't end there… because once those three monsters have been Tributed, Konami…" Bastion smiled before throwing his hand into the air. "I can Special Summon a new monster from my Deck!"

His three monsters roared in unison as his Spell Card finally activated. Their bodies shifted and twisted together, removing their own unique colors before twisting together into a deep, clear blue.

"When Chemistry Bonds are forged anew, the power of life is born!" Bastion chanted, grabbing a new card and whipping it through the air. "Hydrogen! Oxygen! Swirl together now to create a new force! Now, with the power of life itself...!" He slammed the card on his Duel Disk, and in response, a serpentine hiss echoed throughout the arena. "Come forth – _Water Dragon!_"

A body of water suddenly swept through the Field, having been created in the union of Bastions three monsters. It coiled around the Ra Yellow eagerly, and a pair of glowing red eyes emerged from atop the coil's head. It roared at Tyrant Dragon, prompting both it and Konami to stumble backward in response.

Water Dragon – (WATER/Sea Serpent) – LV8 – (2800/2600)

"Heh… hate to break it to you Bastion, but that monster only has Twenty-Eight Hundred Attack Points!" Konami shouted. "It doesn't have the strength to overcome my dragon!"

"You're wrong, Konami!" Bastion replied, "Because Water Dragon has an effect! As long as he's face-up on the Field, the Attack Points of all FIRE and Pyro-type Monsters becomes Zero, and the last time I checked… your Tyrant Dragon just so happens to _be_ of the FIRE Attribute!"

Konami's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you just said their Attack Points becomes Zero?! But then that means…!"

"…That with Twenty-Eight Hundred Attack Points, my Water Dragon not only has more than enough power to wipe out your Tyrant Dragon…" Bastion grinned, "…but the rest of your Life Points as well! Go Water Dragon! Finish this Duel now with your _Hydro Pump!_"

Water Dragon shrieked at the command, and in a single, fluid motion, it coiled around Tyrant Dragon and breathed an impossibly large amount of water down the creature's throat. Tyrant Dragon roared out angrily, but to no avail. Water Dragon's power was far too great, and with one last solemn cry, the monster shattered, and along with it, the rest of Konami's Life Points.

"_Nooooooo!"_

**KONAMI – 0 LP**

**BASTION – 300 LP**

Konami stumbled backward, falling to one upon feeling the sensation of defeat yet again. Unlike last time however, he did not pass out. Bastion's attack had been potent… but it was far from the devastating power of Zane's Cyber-style.

Smiling victoriously, Bastion lowered his Duel Disk and watched as the hologram of his Water Dragon faded away.

"Finally…" he whispered. "Proof that all my calculations were not all for nothing…! I defeated Konami… and I'm certain that when the time comes, I'll be able to defeat Jaden as well!"

A grunt coming from Konami broke the Ra's thoughts, and returned him to reality. His eyes widening, Bastion quickly made his way over to Konami, intending to assist his friend.

"Konami! Are you all right? I realize my final attack may have come as a shock to you…"

"I'm fine." Konami breathed, rising back to his full height. "You really got me… Bastion. To think you'd have a monster that could make Tyrant Dragon useless…!" he winced, "It caught me off guard."

"Didn't it? I used the same strategy to defeat Chazz!" Bastion proclaimed, "And now that I've proven it works a second time, I am proud to once again proclaim myself the _Second_-best Duelist in Duel Academy!"

He started laughing, placing his hands on his hips eagerly while tilting his head to the ceiling.

"Yeah… laugh it up. But know that I won't let this defeat go unavenged." Konami muttered.

"Hm. I would hope not." Bastion replied. "It's no fun having a rival if I'm the only one doing the work!"

Konami nodded, just before turning his head downward in deep thought.

"I lost again…" he whispered to himself. "Are they going to stop bothering me now…?"

Bastion blinked at the question, evidently having better hearing than Konami suspected. Turning, he made to face Konami, his expression solemn.

"Worried about how the students will react?" Bastion asked, folding his arms as he too descended into thought. "Indeed… they do seem to have it out for you as of late. If they were to discover that you lost yet again… it would be no surprise if all kinds of people begin challenging you to Duels… no doubt thinking them on Kami's behalf."

"I don't want that." Konami frowned, shaking his head furiously. "Dueling for that sake… isn't fun."

"And you're wondering what to do about it, no?" Bastion asked with a smile. "Well, this all began when Wisteria made her presence known, did it not? Perhaps if you were to face her… make her pay for her crimes…"

"That's all well and good," Konami muttered, "but no one knows where she is. She left the school before Kami did. If people knew… they wouldn't be so worked up about me."

Bastion laughed at that, drawing Konami's ire upon him.

"I'm… I'm sorry, but…" Bastion chuckled, "…did you just say you don't know where she was? Why Konami, have you not been paying any kind of attention at all? North Academy… home to the Fujiwara Foundation. That is the name of the corporation Wisteria's family owns is it not?"

"…." Konami scowled. Had it really been so obvious? Now that he thought about it… he did recall her saying something along the lines of returning there…

"North Academy…" Konami mumbled. "That's a long trip."

Bastion nodded. "But one you must make, if you are to change your reputation."

The two stared at each other solemnly, and Konami knew… there was work to do.

**-GX-**

**Leaving Bastion to his devices, Konami left the Ra Yellow Dorm and headed toward his room…**

**-GX-**

North Academy.

Known for its cold temperatures and even colder students, it stood in the center of the artic, surrounded on all sides by miles and miles of rock-hard ice.

It was a school for the extreme, and only those who bore true mettle could survive in its cannibalistic society. It was a dog-eat-dog school, and one of the places Konami had considered on entering. If Wisteria was truly locked away within its confines… how in the world was he to reach her? North Academy was miles away from Duel Academy, never mind the fact that the two were separated by who knew how much ocean. If Konami was to get to her, he needed a plan, and a good one at that.

"-ditch this dump! If they don't want me, I don't need em! The Chazz can find his own way through life! You hear me Duel Academy?! I quit I tell ya! I'm done!"

Konami paused, recognizing the voice that echoed around him.

Chazz Princeton. The elite, or if his words were anything to go by, the _former_ elite. Konami recalled that he was one of the ones who wished for Kami to Duel him in the first place, if only to demonstrate "Obelisk Superiority", whatever that was supposed to be.

"I'm going to North Academy!" Chazz roared, his voice continue to echo through the forest. "At least there they know what's what!"

Konami stopped moving. Had he heard that right? Chazz? North Academy? While he didn't quite care for anything the Obelisk planned on doing for himself, a trip to North Academy was exactly what Konami needed. Even though the boy was bound to be unbearable… if Konami could find a way to tag along…

He turned from the path, moving through the woods toward the sound of Chazz's voice.

Closer and closer he walked, until the sound of grunts and heaves were unmistakable. Through the trees Konami finally came upon the elite, watching as he struggled to row a small, makeshift raft out into the unforgiving waves of the sea.

He had already gotten quite far.

Konami gulped, stilling his heart.

It was now or never.

To be, or not to be.

In a burst of courage, he sprang forward, surprising not only Chazz, but himself as well.

"Hey! What do you think you're-?!"

_WOOSH!_

Without explanation Konami leapt from the pier, his feet geared toward Chazz's boat. Chazz could only watch on in shock. That was not a jump that any normal person could make. He had already pushed some ways away from the Pier, and there was no room to turn back. Konami would either drown, or survive. It all depended on his jump.

For the briefest of seconds, the Slifer could've sworn he heard a flap of wings behind him.

"No…! Don't-!"

He crashed upon the boat, sending both he and Chazz sprawling toward its center. The boat rocked and shifted upon feeling the sudden change in weight, and Konami could've sworn that it almost, _almost_ capsized.

Kneeling, he sighed a breath of relief.

Somehow, he'd made it.

Somehow, he was going to North Academy.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

**END**


	14. Go Forth X To the North

"Give it here and get off!"

"No."

"I'm warning you! All the other times, they were just warning shots! This time, it'll be the real deal! The Chazz needs no tagalongs!"

It was the sixth day into their journey, and not for the first time, Chazz was threatening to throw Konami overboard. Still, the Slifer could hardly blame him. They were surprisingly short on rations even when just setting out, and with two hungry mouths to feed, what little food Chazz had provided didn't last very long. As it stood, there was only one piece of food left; a Dark Magic Bar, gripped tightly in the hands of Konami Kodo.

"I won't tell you again Red Hat!" Chazz roared, threatening the boy with his Duel Disk. "Give me that Dark Magic Bar… or face the consequences! I've had enough of you being here anyway!"

Konami's eyes narrowed in defiance. "No. You ate over half the food here Chazz, this one is mine."

"The only reason I ate it was because it was mine to begin with!" Chazz snapped. "You weren't even supposed to _be_ here! This boat for me, and me alone! So you can go ahead… and get the hell off!"

With a loud roar, Chazz lunged forward, attempting to grab the Dark Magic Bar by force. The boat shook violently at the sudden motion, and both Chazz and Konami ground to a halt, stumbling and fumbling about while trying to maintain their balance. Unfortunately, the boat was not to be denied at least one victim. While trying to steady themselves Chazz's hand slapped against Konami's sending the Dark Magic Bar flying into the air. The two boys cried out upon realization, and quickly they turned their head upwards, following the candy's trail with their eyes.

"Oh…" Konami whispered, his face shifting between surprise and mourn before settling on indifference.

"No!" Chazz cried, raising his arms in panic in a futile attempt to catch the candy before it fell.

With a soft splash, the candy fell into the ocean several meters away from them, far beyond their reach.

"That… was the last one!" Chazz cried in mourn, falling to his knees with a pained cry. "_Nooooooooooo!_"

"It's over… we're finished." Konami muttered, sliding back into a seated position upon confirming yet again that they were, in fact, out of food.

"This is your fault!" Chazz grumbled, "If you hadn't come along we would still have plenty of food!"

"If I hadn't come along…" Konami retorted. "You would've eaten it all forty minutes into the trip."

"Tsk…!" Chazz grimaced, clenching his fist in anger. "Who the hell-? What are you even doing here?! The Chazz demands answers, and he wants them now!"

"You don't know?" Konami asked, blinking in surprise.

"Oh I know," Chazz growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You're running away, aren't you?! From all those students who want your head! Right, Red Hat?!"

"No." Konami answered simply, turning his attention to more important things… like shuffling his Deck.

"Hah?! What do you mean no?!" Chazz asked, receiving no response from the Slifer across from him. "Oi! Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

He lunged forward a second time, prompting Konami to cry out in surprise. Raising his arms, Konami met Chazz head to head, and the two struggled for dominance of the small raft. Unfortunately, the raft had only one master…

…and it wasn't either of them.

In a sudden gust of wind, the raft capsized, sending both Chazz and Konami sprawling into the icy water beneath them.

"Hua!"

"Gah!"

"I'll get for this, Red Hat!" Chazz somehow shouted from beneath from the water, and both he, and Konami, faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Four**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"Tyrant Dragon, attack Chazz directly!" Konami shouted, snapping his eyes open in surprise. Immediately he knew something was wrong. The last thing he remembered was falling into the ocean with Chazz… so how could he possibly be where he was…?

In a metal room surrounded by nothing but crates and cargo.

"What the…?" Konami whispered to himself, rising from his position to get a better view of his surroundings. "Where am I…?"

"My submarine." A voice explained, drawing Konami's attention to the sound above.

Glancing upward, Konami locked eyes with a strange being covered in cloth and metal. The strange being stared back at him, before leaping from the overhang and joining Konami in the room.

"It seems you've finally awoken, and with good timing as well. I only just sent your friend on his way."

"My friend…?" Konami asked weakly, rubbing the drowsiness out of his eyes. "You mean… Chazz…?! He's not my friend. We were just on his boat together…"

"On a boat, was it?" the being chuckled. "Well, it seems your boat has sunk, and so too… did your cards."

The man raised his hands, revealing what few cards he'd managed to save.

"Ah…!" Konami cried out, staring at the small objects in shock. "No way! All my cards…!"

"How unfortunate it was for them to scatter when they did." The being said. "As it is, I only managed to rescue three."

Approaching slowly, he steadily returned Yata-Garasu, Decoy Dragon, and Tyrant Dragon to Konami, leaving the boy to clutch the cards hopelessly.

"Just these three…?" he winced, "Yata-Garasu…"

The bird cawed as if in response to Konami's words, appearing in a flash of light upon the boy's shoulder. The sudden summon caught the Slifer off guard, and in a fit he fell back, collapsing onto his back and bumping his head along the side of the submarine.

"Gah…! That bird…!"

"Hm… a Duel Spirit. How fitting, for your comrade too… now carries one in his grasp." The being laughed.

Konami grimaced at the reminder of Chazz's presence, and he quickly made to stand. "I don't care… about Chazz. He's the reason we're stuck here in the first place… attacking me like that… what did he think would happen?"

"Try not to hate him too much," the being continued, "after all, I believe you'll be spending much more time together in the near future."

"Huh?" Konami questioned, glancing at the man in confusion yet again.

The being just chuckled further, stepping away from Konami before covertly flipping a switch behind him.

"Farewell," he said, and Konami was suddenly thrown upward in a bursting wave of water.

Crying out, Konami found himself ejected from the ship, shot through the upper levels of the ocean and out into the open air. He twirled around several times, his eyes wide in fear and confusion as he gazed upon the shining sun.

He crashed down onto cold, hard ice seconds later, and his body rolled to a hard stop, bruised, but safe.

"Oh great, it's you!" Chazz scowled, evidently having not been far from Konami's landing point. "You got hit by that freak in the sub too huh?"

"…" Konami grimaced at Chazz for a moment, before nodding softly. "Yeah… and I lost my Deck…"

"Yeah? Well that makes two of us!" Chazz scowled. "Hrngh, this is all your fault you know? If you had just given me that Dark Magic Bar we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Konami disagreed, but he knew it didn't matter. Once Chazz got going it was impossible to make him stop, something the Slifer had learned during the six days he spent on a ship with the boy.

"Whatever," Chazz continued instead, turning to walk away from Konami. "I don't know about you, but I'm heading to that building in the distance! With any luck they'll have a phone, and if they do… it's one call and I'm the heck outta dodge!"

He paused for a moment, turning his head back ever so slightly to regard Konami one last time.

"Wish I could say the same for you, Slacker! Have fun slumming it out here in the cold!"

"_Hey boss, I don't think we should do that!"_

A golden light suddenly emerged from the folds of Chazz's Obelisk jacket, and the boy cried out in annoyed rage.

"You again?! Stop bothering me!" Chazz roared, swiping his hand at the light and prompting it to hover toward Konami for safety.

"_But boss…! I don't__think__ it's really nice to ditch this guy out here in the cold like this! My brothers got ditched one time, and it wasn't fun at all!"_

"A Duel Spirit…?" Konami asked, watching the golden orb dim to reveal a hovering yellow monster spirit with large Crowler-like lips. "Like Yata-Garasu…"

The crow cawed from within the confines of its card.

"What was that Slacker?!" Chazz grumbled. "You mean you can see this thing too?!"

"_Oh wow! He really can huh?"_ the monster spirit asked, hovering around Konami swiftly. _"Now I really think we shouldn't ditch him boss!"_

"Nrrgh…!" Chazz growled, clutching his fist tightly in annoyance. "Fine! He can come, if only to shut you up! But if he gets lost, we're not going back to find him, got it?!"

"_Yup!"_ the monster spirit chirped, before vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Interesting thing you got there Chazz." Konami murmured.

"Shut up Red Hat! Are you coming or not?!" Chazz snapped, turning on his heel and marching toward the large building in the distance.

"…Yeah. I'm coming." Konami murmured, quickly giving chase.

It took some doing, but before long the two had arrived, appearing at a large, wooden gate that blocked off the rest of the facility. As they approached, Chazz whistled, eyeing the size of the door closely.

"Not bad. Still not as good as my place though." He explained, earning a confused gaze from Konami. Chazz scowled. "Forget it! My richness is wasted on you!" he quickly stepped forward toward the door, raising his hand to knock on its wooden texture loudly several times. "Hey! Open up in there! Is anyone home?!"

An amused laugh echoed from beside them suddenly drew the pair's attention. Turning, they found a weary looking man gazing upon them with a worn smile, his form seated comfortably beside a small campfire.

"I'm afraid you won't get in that way," the man explained, his form curled in on itself for warmth, "here, come take a seat beside me for a while."

"What…?" Chazz asked incredulously, though he approached regardless.

Konami followed as well, eager to hear what the man had to say.

"Here at North Academy, the doors will only open to those with Forty Cards in their Decks." The man explained.

"North Academy?!" Chazz exclaimed. "So this is Duel Academy's Arch Rival huh? No wonder the area seems so extreme!"

"I see you've heard of it." The man smiled sadly. "Of course, just hearing of it does you no good… if you don't have the necessary number of cards necessary to enter their fold. All throughout this area cards are hidden… finding them is the test that deems whether or not you're worthy for entry into the academy."

Konami's eyes narrowed.

North Academy… so this was where Wisteria was. Was she seated comfortably behind that powerful gate, laughing at their lot in life even now…?

"So how many cards do you have then?!" Chazz asked suddenly, regaining Konami's attention.

"Me? I'm afraid I only have Thirty-Nine… I'm just too worn out to look for the Fortieth right now I'm afraid." The man explained, revealing the state of his Deck.

"Good, and you don't need to." Chazz snarked, reaching into the folds of his pocket. "Here, I'll pay you for them! Those Thirty-Nine cards!" He brushed his hand forward, holding a wad of cash.

"No!" the man shouted, swiftly turning away from Chazz in fear, "These are all I have! Besides this fire… they're the only thing I can call mine…"

"Fine then!" Chazz grimaced, "Keep em! I'll just go find my own forty cards!"

"Well then… I wish you luck young Duelist." The man said, watching as Chazz turned on his heel and marched away. "In this area… you'll need it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Konami asked, reminding the man of his presence.

Stumbling, the old man reeled back, his head snapping to Konami almost immediately. "T-That is, of course, the area's layout! The cards, hidden and strewn about, only a true Duelist could find enough of them to make a working Deck!"

Konami hummed, folding his arm while watching Chazz disappear over the horizon. After a moment, he too began walking forward, heading out into the icy wasteland.

"H-Huh?" the man called after him, "W-Where are you going? It's dangerous out there you know?!"

"…I also need a new Deck." Konami said simply, not bothering to turn around as he spoke.

He disappeared over the horizon, and began his search, ignorant to the giant grin growing on the man's face.

"Then let the games begin…"

**-GX-**

**Konami and Chazz searched the wastes, looking through every nook and cranny in hopes of finding cards. In time, they both completed their goal, and made to return to the door.**

**-GX-**

"Oh…" the man whispered in surprise upon seeing the two scarred and weary students return. "You're back."

"That's right! And I, Chazz Princeton, have found my forty cards!" Chazz shouted, holding up his Duel Disk victoriously.

"You did?" the man asked in astonishment. "That's amazing…! And so quickly…! However did you do it?!"

"Hmph, wouldn't you like to know?" Chazz asked haughtily.

"I would… but I suppose you have better things to do than waste your time humoring the likes of me…" the man said humbly. "Well…? What about you then? Did you also find enough cards for a Deck?"

Konami nodded.

In truth, it was easier for him than Chazz. After all, Chazz had lost all his Deck, and started out with only one card, where Konami had three. Certainly, it wasn't _that_ great of a handicap, but it was enough.

"I see…" the mysterious man smiled sadly. "Then I suppose this is goodbye. I'll just stay out here… it isn't too bad… until the winter."

"Winter?" Chazz asked.

"Oh yes," the man smiled. "These are the summer months now, it's not that bad to be honest, and fall only gets to Thirty below!"

"…" Chazz closed his eyes in annoyance.

"That's unfortunate." Konami muttered. "Must be cold."

"Quite!" the man smiled cheerfully. "Well then… I'll be off… sitting by my fire."

He sighed dramatically, before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Chazz said with a scowl. "Hang on! You don't need to go anywhere! I actually got Forty-_One_ Cards, just so you can get out of here!"

"That's news to me." Konami interrupted.

"Well you can just shut up!" Chazz snapped. "No one asked you anyway!"

Konami raised his hands in a placating manner, rolling away from Chazz several feet. "Okay. It's just that I remember you having trouble around Thirty-Five…"

"I said shut up Red Hat!" Chazz snapped, clenching his fist angrily.

"Hate to interrupt… but are you going to give me a card or not?" the man asked, glancing between the two students curiously.

"Hmph! Yeah, I got your card for you, right here!" Chazz shouted, throwing a random card from his Deck toward the man. Initially, he'd planned to use the opportunity to get rid of that accursed Duel Spirit card, but with Konami irritating him so, he doubted he'd have the chance.

"Oh thank the heavens!" the man shouted, taking Chazz's "spare" card into his hands quickly. "Thank you young Duelist! I swear that one day I'll repay you for this!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Chazz scowled, making his way toward the man's fire to sit. "Just get out of here already! The Chazz likes to make his own entrance."

"Yes! I shall be going! Thank you, and you as well, young man!" the strange man said one last time, bowing to both Konami and Chazz before returning toward the door.

Konami approached Chazz slowly, watching as the Obelisk slid down onto his back to rest.

"Tch!" Chazz grumbled. "Yeah, thanks for nothing more like! Now I really only have Thirty-Nine Cards!"

"Looks like the elite aren't all that coldhearted after all." Konami noted, taking a seat next to the boy.

"What'd you just say Red Hat?!" Chazz snarled, glaring at the Slifer angrily. "Whatever! Aren't you going to get out of here? You have forty cards yourself, don't you?!" Chazz turned on his side angrily at the words, not wanting to even look at the Slifer across from him.

"That's right. I do." Konami nodded. "Though… I also have an extra card."

Konami reached into his back pocket slowly, retrieving a bent, but relatively well-treated Trap Card.

"What?! You had that on you this whole time?!" Chazz exclaimed, leaping back to his feet. "Give it here!"

He lunged across the fire swiftly, snatching the card from Konami's hands and glancing at it eagerly. "Ring of Destruction huh?" he asked with a grimace. "You idiot. If you already had an extra card why didn't you say anything earlier?!"

"I was going to," Konami revealed, "but you gave him a card before I could explain. Still, you should be happy. Now you don't have to look for another _and_ you get to play the hero. I guess it just goes to show that good things happen to good people, right?"

"Heh, I'm not good Red Hat," Chazz smirked, tucking the card away into his Duel Disk with the rest of his cards. "I'm rich. There's a difference. Still, with this card I don't have to waste any more time out here in the wastes! Come on Red Hat! Since you technically gave me this, I'll let you watch as the great Chazz Princeton enters the halls of North Academy!"

"I'm so honored." Konami drawled.

"Hmph, you should be." Chazz said.

With a twirl of his jacket the Obelisk marched away, stopping at the large wooden walls of North Academy with a giant grin.

"Alright! I've got your forty cards! Now… open up!" he roared, holding his Duel Disk up toward the door so all could see.

There was a slight pause, and a cold wind blew through the area. Still, Chazz did nothing. Konami too, sat patiently by the side, watching and waiting to see just how glorious Chazz's entry would truly be. He was not disappointed.

In a sudden flash of light Chazz's Duel Disk glowed with rainbow light, activating and signaling the arrival of a new Duelist to the academy. With a large rumble, the great gate barring his path gave way, revealing a dry, western-styled town in the center of the icy abyss.

Chazz quickly ran inside, and Konami subtly slipped in behind him. The doors rumbled shut upon their entry, and finally, the two believed they could breathe a sigh of relief.

They couldn't have been more wrong. No sooner had they stepped into the dark, dimly lit town did a searchlight shine down from overhead, blinding them with its brightness.

"What the-?!"

"What is this?!"

"_Welcome, young Duelists…!_" a loud, overpowering voice boomed from above, grabbing the pair's attention. "_To North Academy!_"

"What was that?!" Chazz shouted, shielding his eyes with his Duel Disk. "Is this the welcoming committee?! Who's there?!"

The searchlight dimmed in response to Chazz's words, and together, he and Konami gazed toward their addressor… or rather, _addressors_. Hundreds of students lined the roofs around them, and far in the distance, glancing down toward them with a megaphone in hand… was a very familiar face.

At least to Konami.

"Ah..! I recognize you!" Konami shouted, taking an angry step forward. "You're Wisteria's butler! Masakazu!"

The well-dressed man blinked in surprise upon locking eyes with the Slifer below him, and he tightened the grip on his megaphone. "It's you…" he whispered harshly. "The boy from before…! What purpose has brought you here?! Do you seek revenge on my lady?! If so, I'm afraid you're in for a repeat performance-!"

"Hey! What the hell's going on here?!" Chazz interrupted the man's rant, glaring at everyone. "What's that Wisteria woman got to do with this?! And what happened to that bald guy I let in here?!"

"Hm. All good questions, and I assure you that they will be answered in time, Mr. Princeton." Masakazu explained, turning his attention to the Obelisk.

"You know me?" Chazz smirked.

"Of course." Masakazu chuckled. "How could I not know the failure brother of the Manjoume Group?"

Chazz's pride suddenly took a heavy hit. With a scowl, Chazz took another step forward, brandishing his fist at the butler high above him angrily. "What did you just call me?!"

"The Failure Brother. The Disgrace. It's hardly a surprise as to how… when you roam around the outskirts of the Academy with riffraff like him!" Masakazu scowled, gesturing to Konami once more.

"Heh, that's where you got things wrong, butler!" Chazz smirked nastily. "I'm not roaming the outskirts with this slacker… he's roaming the outskirts with _me_! There's a difference!"

"I'm sure." Masakazu grunted before shaking his head in disgust. "However… you're about to find that here… the difference is mute!" he raised his hand to the sky, and snapped his fingers.

In an instant, the hundreds of students watching quietly jumped to attention, leaping down from the assorted roofs and buildings to surround Konami and Chazz on all sides. Immediately the two Duel Academy students backed into each other, glaring at their surrounding obstacles angrily.

"What's going on here?! A million to one doesn't sound very fair… even for the likes of you!" Konami shouted.

"A million to one? There's not that many of them I'm afraid," Masakazu chuckled darkly, "but… this is simply how we do things here at North Academy! There are no Slifers, or Ra's, Faculty or Obelisks! Everything is decided by one's worth in a Duel! The Strongest stands among the Top, and everyone else… _kneels_ before them!"

"Sounds like my kind of school." Chazz grunted, before glaring at the butler forcefully. "So what? Does that make you the top dog around here?!"

"Me? I'm afraid not. That honor belongs to someone even better in Dueling than I am! Someone both of you should know very well!"

Konami's eyes narrowed furiously at the words. Given the state of affairs, it didn't take a genius to figure out who the man was talking about.

"Wisteria!" he hissed, tightening his hand into a menacing fist.

"That's correct. Upon returning here from your dreadful school she wasted no time in becoming the strongest student of North Academy… especially once she was finally allowed to dig up the rare cards with the backing of the SIC!"

"Hmph, that woman's the strongest student here?" Chazz sniffed. "How pathetic! These Duelists can't be of much worth then!"

"Oh they are, I assure you." Masakazu chuckled.

"So what…? Wisteria can't be bothered to come down here and greet us herself, so she sends her _butler_ to do all the work, is that it?!" Konami questioned angrily.

"That's right! The young lady has more important things than to idle about with worms like you!" Masakazu shouted. "Now, it's time for our Battle Royale to begin! Where shall you rank among our students I wonder?! One-Hundred? Ninety-Nine?! I know for a fact that the pair of you won't make it past fifty, so now, it's time for the games to begin!"

He snapped his fingers yet again, and the hordes of students all activated their Duel Disks.

"Tsk! Looks like we're about to have ourselves a good time!" Chazz smirked vilely, activating his Duel Disk.

"You have fun with that." Konami replied. "I have no intention of becoming a student here at North Academy… and if I know Wisteria… she'll be in the highest spot she can find, far above everyone else…"

Quickly, Konami glanced upward, gazing toward the large tower overhead. Masakazu noticed the movement, and swiftly, thrust his arm out toward the pair.

"Go! Duel them now! Don't let them get away!" he shouted, and the group lunged.

"I don't think so." Konami muttered.

He quickly leapt to the right, making use of a small crate of boxes to scale up the side of a building swiftly. Chazz cried out in both rage and betrayal as the group engulfed him whole while Konami was left free to make his escape.

"Red Hat! Get back here you coward!" he shouted, not wanting to face them all on his own.

"Sorry," Konami replied, running toward the tower without a single glance back, "but I have more important things to do."

"Red Hat!" Chazz shouted in rage. "Red _Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!_"

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

**END**


	15. Power X Tower

"H-Hrnnngthhhh!"

…

"H-Hrrnnnnaagghh!"

Konami was in pain. It felt as if his very body was being torn apart, limb by bloody limb. In a bid for escape, the young Slifer had made a split second decision to climb the tower from the outside.

So far, he was finding it to be the worst decision of his mortal life.

It wasn't bad at first. The heat from the Academy had warmed the lower layers, making it easy to climb. However, there was no such assistance farther up. The wind was cold and icy, and strong gusts of wind threatened to end Konami's life at the drop of a hat.

It took everything he had to hold on for dear life, but with the tower's wet and slippery cobblestone, every inch the boy pulled himself upward was another fight for survival. It was amazing he'd gotten as far as he had so quickly.

Konami grunted as he pulled himself up another brick. Glancing downward, he could still see the small, rapidly fading light of the crowd below. How was Chazz faring, he wondered? Had the boy fallen to the crowd, or was he still dueling in a bid for total power…? Konami didn't know, but he wished the Obelisk luck, if only out of guilt for leaving him behind to fend for himself.

Not that Chazz didn't deserve it.

While it was true the boy was steadily getting better, Konami felt nothing but distaste for him as he thought back to their time together on the ship.

The fate of the last Dark Magic Bar… how _dare_ Chazz slap it out of his hand like that?! Konami rapidly shook his head, pulling himself closer to the stone of the tower to remind himself to stay focused. He couldn't afford for any mishaps! Not now, not when he was so high up! If he fell… it'd be game over, and there were no continues in real life!

A cold burst of wind soared through the air, grating at Konami's skin. The Slifer yelled out upon feeling the sensation prickle at his nerves, and he dug his fingernails deeper into the wet stone.

"Darn you… Yata-Garasu!" he shouted, "If you wanna help, now's the time!"

As if in response, the noisy call of the one-legged crow echoed through the area, and immediately Konami regretted it. The purple bird suddenly appeared above him, using its leg to claw and scratch at the boy's hat.

"Agh! Get back! Stop it, right now!" Konami shouted, turning around to swipe a free hand at the creature.

The only problem was… he didn't have a free hand.

"A-Ah!" the Slifer cried out, his fingers nearly giving way upon loss of the additional support.

With a horrible sound his fingers slipped, and his body was sent skidding down several meters. Konami could've sworn that he'd left his fingerprints where he fell. The pain set in as he came to a stop, and Konami's scream echoed throughout the area.

He bled, but did not fall.

But oh how he bled.

"I'll… get you…" Konami whispered weakly, his body nearly covered in snow as he began the climb back up. "I'll… get you…"

He repeated the mantra slowly, using the words as motivation to keep going. He had already come so far… there was no way he could back down now.

"I'll… get you…" he said once more, his voice growing stronger as he neared the end. "I'll… get you…"

"Wisteria!" he shouted, and something broke. "Huh? Hua- Agh!"

He tumbled forward, crashing through a glass panel he could've sworn was not there before. He attempted to stop, realizing he was no longer in dangerous of falling from deadly heights, but his body seemed to have other plans. With a soft yelp, he tripped over something in the dark room in which he now resided, and fell face-first into something squishy, and soft.

"Ho…? You must be quite daring…" a feminine voice said to him, coming from just beyond his head. "It would take quite a bit of courage to lay your hands on me."

Konami stilled. He knew that voice. There was no way he could not. It was the same voice that beckoned to him, the same voice that had wrought such pain and hatred. The same voice… that he despised.

He glared, leaning his head up to gaze upon the speaker, and came face-to-face with the raw, ruby eyes of one Wisteria Fujiwara.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Five**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"Wisteria!" Konami hissed, his eyes wide in both rage and surprise.

"Why Konami-kun, how nice of you to drop in." Wisteria smiled mysteriously, wrapping her legs around the boy neatly. "Did you come to finish what we started back at Duel Academy?" she asked, leaning in close.

"As if you don't know!" Konami shouted, ripping himself away from the woman to stand.

Wisteria swiftly rose from her bed, flipping the nearby lantern on to illuminate the room. In an instant light flooded the area, revealing the wide, chamber-like structure that Wisteria called a bedroom. Konami glanced around the area swiftly, before locking his eyes back on the purple-haired girl's form.

So it was true. Her being in North Academy… it seemed Bastion's smarts had paid off.

"Well, I won't say that it's not a surprise seeing you here," Wisteria explained with a toss of her hair. "You are supposed to be at Duel Academy after all, dealing with the whims of the worms that among them." Wisteria accused, glaring at her nightly visitor angrily. "To think you would come all the way here, to this place, to _my_ tower? …It's quite intriguing."

"I came for payback," Konami revealed, tightening his bloody fist before sweeping it to the side in a mad fit of rage, "for what you did to Kami!"

Wisteria ignored his outburst, instead turning her attention to the blood that now stained her walls. "…What on earth did you do to your hands?" she asked, glancing at them quickly only to find dark red droplets falling from the boy's fingertips. "And your clothes… don't tell me… you actually came here from outside?!"

"That's right." Konami grimaced. "Your butler thought it'd be a good idea to try and head me off! Needless to say, that didn't go as he planned!"

"Oh Masakazu…" Wisteria sighed, setting a hand to her cheek in mild distaste. "He really should have let me known you were coming! I could have prepared something. Come, I do not intend to allow you to bleed out on my floor. We'll have to do something about those hands… and your clothes as well!"

"What?!" Konami snapped. "I'm not here on a social visit, Wisteria! I came here to pay you back for all the pain you've caused!"

"Oh I know," Wisteria smirked, "and we'll get to that in due time. But for now, "oh Lord", rest. Partake in all that I have to offer, so that you may understand my side of things."

Konami scowled. He hadn't come there to understand anything. He knew all that he needed to know. At this point, he was certain that Wisteria was just trying to stall for time. But… it was true that in his current state, he couldn't even feel his fingers. And with all the blood dripping about… he'd be surprised if he could hold up his cards, much less Duel with them!

He lowered his guarded stance slowly, glaring at the girl across from him angrily.

"Alright." He said after a moment's thought. "I'll accept your offer… but we're going to have a long talk about everything that's happened due to your schemes, Wisteria!"

"I look forward to it." Wisteria smirked victoriously. "Now, come along. I'm sure we can find some bandages somewhere around here… and a bath."

Konami scowled, but followed Wisteria out the room regardless. She led him through the dimly lit halls of the tower, using naught but candlelight to guide the way. Before long, the pair had entered into a large, white room, filled to the brim with sinks and showers.

"Mind the floor." Wisteria said, brushing forward toward the center of the room elegantly. "It's new."

As if he cared. Without a word, Konami followed her, shaking his head in annoyance and frustration.

"So this is it huh?" he asked, drawing Wisteria's attention. "This is what you used the Umino's corporation for?!"

"Hmph." Wisteria scoffed, tossing a hand through her hair. "Hardly. This tower was built off the wealth of the Fujiwara Foundation alone. I had no need to make use of that worm's power to build it! My family all but owns North Academy after all, it was no surprise that at least this much would be done upon my arrival here."

"Then why?! What did you go through all that trouble to get Kami's company for?!" Konami shouted angrily, demanding answers.

"Did you know? Duel Academy isn't the only one said to hold objects of power deep beneath its surface." Wisteria explained with a smirk. "The strongest Level, the strongest Fusion, and… the strongest Ritual. Three sets of cards that could overcome any obstacle that opposed them! North Academy refers to them as… the Trinity!"

"Sounds ridiculous." Konami said.

"Quite," Wisteria agreed, "but… there is at least some truth to the tale. When I heard the rumors of a powerful Ritual Card at this academy, I knew I had to take it for myself. What good would it do in the hands of a worm who couldn't use it correctly? It would be a waste of its potential, a blow to its power! And so, the moment I confirmed its existence I began to plan, for the inevitable day that I would hold it in my grasp!"

"And so you came to Duel Academy." Konami understood.

"Yes." Wisteria smirked. "Even with the backing of the Fujiwara Foundation, the Chancellor here denied my initial request to take it for my own. So, I required more force than I thought necessary. I needed, another layer of leverage. So I came to Duel Academy, and I played the part of the loyal servant… and once Kami had her guard lowered…."

"…you struck." Konami finished, knowing what happened from then on.

"I returned here stronger than ever, and with the backing of _two_ major corporations, not even the Chancellor could deny my privilege. I headed into the dark abyss… and there, I found it."

She clutched at her chest suddenly, as if confirming that something was still there.

"The strongest Ritual… the most powerful Lord…!" Wisteria breathed. "Demise, King of Armageddon!"

Konami could have sworn he saw a flash of blue in the girl's eyes as she spoke, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"So that's what this was about?" Konami asked in distaste, turning to wash his hands clean of the dirty blood now soaking his palms. "Your desire for a new card? You're so selfish…"

"Ho…?" Wisteria asked, grabbing a package of bandages and approaching Konami slowly. "Then what does that make you I wonder?"

Konami narrowed his eyes, glaring at Wisteria as he waited for her to unravel the package. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh, you know." Wisteria smirked. Slowly, she grabbed several bandages, moving to wrap them around the boy's fingers. "Do you think me so foolish as to turn my gaze away from Duel Academy completely? I know how the students have been treating you since my departure. I know that you have suffered far more in the past few days than many have their years there! And I know all about your Duels with Zane and Dimitri… _Red Hat_." She whispered into his ear. "You can pretend to play the role of the hero all you Konami-kun… but deep down you know that you're _just. Like. Me._" She smirked coyly as she finished the bandages, and slowly made to wrap her arms around Konami's neck. "Selfish, uncaring… why, you even left that friend of yours to the wolves to come greet me didn't you? Wouldn't you rather be the bad guy together?" she asked sweetly. "Or would you rather we just be _bad_?"

Konami stood up.

"I can do bad all by myself." He said immediately, brushing the girl away. "Your little tricks and mind games… won't work on me!"

"Pity." Wisteria replied, stepping back with a cold smile on her face. "We could have had something special, you and I… but if you'd rather side with the _worms_ of the academy… then I'll give you a fitting treatment!"

She snapped her fingers, and from the wall a hidden compartment suddenly shot forward, arming the girl with her Duel Disk. From the folds of her clothing she grabbed a dark, dreary Deck, and quickly slid it into the Disk's compartment, activating its Duel Mode.

"You've been waiting haven't you…?" Wisteria whispered, moving elegantly as the world around them disappeared in blue flame. "For our Ceremonial Rematch…"

Konami took several steps back in surprise, watching as the room was completely engulfed in the woman's flames. He quickly glanced back at Wisteria, only to find that she too, had changed.

Gone were the pajamas she had been wearing upon his arrival, replaced with a skin-tight red and black dressed that fell all the way to the floor. Her hair, which had been brushed down for bed, had once again been wrapped into sharp twin-tails, and most importantly… there was a dark, blue gleam to her eyes.

Konami grimaced. He didn't know what was going on, or what kind of trick Wisteria had played, but if the girl wanted a Duel, he would be sure to give her one!

"Now then…" Wisteria whispered with a smirk. "Shall we begin?"

**-GX-**

**Konami prepared himself for a grueling battle… but outside, one was already taking place.**

**-GX-**

"_Curse that Slifer Slacker!"_ Chazz thought, landing a finishing blow on yet another of the students under the butler's command. _"When I get out of here, he's going to have to answer to me!"_

His opponent cried out in pain as he was thrown backward, crashing into the crowd with a loud crash as his monsters vanished in golden light.

"You go bye-bye." Chazz smirked, folding his arms victoriously. "So, which one of you losers is next? I've only defeated… oh, I don't know, _all_ of you?!"

"Not quite!" a large, burly man with a goatee grinned. "There's still one of us left, Princeton. And it looks like you're going down, because the Czar loses to no one!"

"Didn't you lose to butler over there earlier?" Chazz smirked. "That's how it works, isn't it?!"

"Y-You shut up! Even if I did, the Czar is still better than anyone who calls himself a _Prince_ton!" Czar shouted, activating his Duel Disk and initializing a Duel.

**DUEL**

**CHAZZ VS CZAR**

**CHAZZ – 4000 LP**

**CZAR – 4000 LP**

"Me first!" Czar shouted, drawing his cards.

**TURN ONE – CZAR**

"…and I'm going to activate two copies of Fiend's Sanctuary!" the man shouted, revealing the two Spell Cards in his hand. "Now I get dual Metal Fiend Tokens! But, like you, they won't be staying around for long!"

Two silvery creatures appeared on the Field in a flash of light, only to disappear in a golden glow just as quickly as they'd come.

"I sacrifice them and summon Zoa, in Attack Mode!" Czar shouted, placing his ace monster on the Field swiftly.

With a low growl a large blue fiend with glowing yellow eyes appeared, its hulking body towering over Chazz and the other Duelists. It allowed its hands to fall by its side patiently, awaiting a command from its master to do damage.

Zoa – (DARK/Fiend) – LV7 – (2600/1900)

"Next, I'll play two face-downs and end my Turn." Czar finished. "Ha! Already my side of the Field stands! See how it's different with the Czar?!"

"It'll end the same!" Chazz snapped. "My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN TWO – CHAZZ**

He glanced at the card in his hand, scowling upon seeing the familiar yellow Duel Spirit in the artwork.

"Aw you again?!" he shouted, glaring at the creature angrily.

"_Nice to see you too!"_ the monster greeted happily, emerging from the artwork to talk to Chazz. _"Need me to fight a monster for you?!"_ he turned his head, glancing at the overpowering Zoa. _"Erm… never mind!"_

"Oh no you don't!" Chazz grinned. "Because I think I finally found a way to get rid of you! I'm placing my Ojama Yellow in Defense Position!" he roared, setting the card face-down on the Field.

"_No! Please!"_ Ojama cried from beneath the card. _"Anyone but me!"_

"Then I'll toss two face-downs, and end my Turn!" Chazz smirked.

"Hahahahahahaha! Time out," Czar laughed. "Some garbage has blown onto the Field! Oh wait, I'm sorry, that's just your monster! Oh well, he's going to be trashed anyway! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – CZAR**

"I activate the Trap Card Metalmorph and equip it to… Zoa!" Czar shouted, his eyes narrowing in delight. "Of course, now I can sacrifice my Metalmorph'd Zoa so I can summon something even better!"

As he spoke, a pillar of rocks erupted from the earth around the DARK Fiend, and he vanished in a whirl of wind and light. Quickly, Czar clenched his hand forcefully, slapping his intended card onto his Duel Disk.

"The ferocious MetalZoa!" Czar shouted, the Field exploding at his words to give way to a large metal creature that looked remarkably similar to the original thing.

Metal Zoa – (DARK/Machine) – LV8 – (3000/2300)

"Next… I'll activate another Trap Card! The Call of the Haunted!" Czar revealed, his last face-down flipping up to reveal the artwork of purple smoke leaping from a horde of graves.

"Now, I can bring back one monster from my Graveyard," Czar continued, "and I'll bring back… regular Zoa, in Attack Mode!"

In a plume of black smoke the blue fiend reappeared, standing beside it's metal counterpart angrily while growling toward Chazz.

Zoa – (DARK/Fiend) – LV7 – (2600/1900)

"Heh, I'm still gonna win." Chazz smirked, thinking aloud.

"You know, talking to yourself is pretty crazy as it is," Czar chuckled. "But thinking you're going to win? Even crazier! Know why? Because I just watched you Duel Forty-Nine times! I know all the cards in your Deck, Princeton!"

"Maybe, but unlike you, I know how to make the best outta what I got!" Chazz replied.

"We'll see!" Czar shouted. "Zoa attack that Ojama face-down! _Glimmer Strike_!"

Zoa growled, its eyes flashing as a green beam shaped like an X leapt from its forehead, cleaving through Ojama Yellow's Defense Position card. The Duel Spirit cried as it was annihilated, though Chazz showed no care for the creature whatsoever.

"And now that he's been taken care of," Czar grinned. "Metalzoa's going to take care of you! _Hardened Glimmer Strike!_"

With a similar, but stronger roar, Metalzoa struck, releasing a much larger X wave toward Chazz's defenseless form. The Obelisk cried out as his body was engulfed by the blow, and an explosion leapt out from his Duel Disk, inflicting him damage equal to the monster's attack.

**CHAZZ – 1000 LP**

**CZAR – 4000 LP**

"The Prince's place is at the heel of the Czar," Czar said with folded arms, standing between his two monsters. "And that's just where I'm going to put you!"

"Yeah? Don't bet on it!" Chazz growled, his spiky hair hiding his eyes. "See? I was waiting for you to attack me, so I can activate Inferno Tempest!"

He threw his hand forward, revealing the card he'd placed on the Field earlier.

"With this card, when I take Three-Thousand or more Points of Damage, all monsters in both our Graveyard and Decks, are taken out of play!" Chazz revealed with a smirk, earning Czar's ire.

"Why would you do that?!" the man asked in surprise. "What are you planning?!"

"If you knew my Deck as well as you think you do, then you'd already know!" Chazz laughed. "And you'd also know that your reign as _second-best_ is coming to an end!"

"What are you talking about?" Czar asked. "I still have two monsters face-up on the Field! You have none, and you just removed them all from play! You have none in your Deck! You've lost! My reign's not over! You're about to lose!"

"We'll see, here!" Chazz shouted. "My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – CHAZZ**

"Heh… well Czar, it looks like you're about to get royally crowned!" Chazz smirked. "And not in a good way! I play… the Spell Chaos End!"

He placed the card on his Duel Disk, and immediately both Zoa and Metalzoa began to crack. Czar's eyes widened at the realization, and he took a step forward in surprise.

"Wait?! What's going on?!"

"Well, that's the magic of Chaos End!" Chazz grinned. "When seven or more cards are removed from play, Chaos End destroys every monster on your Field!"

"No way!" Czar shouted, watching in horror as his two monsters shattered completely, leaving him defenseless.

"And now, I'll play a Trap, that's a blast from the past!" Chazz grinned, sweeping his hand to the side elegantly. "The Card Return from the Different Dimension!"

As he spoke, a large lightning bolt leapt into the sky, opening a hole through time and space to reach a new destination.

"Now," Chazz explained, 'by paying half my Life Points all monsters I removed from play can be brought back to the Field! Each and every one of them!"

In a horde of light several large, One-Thousand Attack Point monsters emerged from the great hole, descending onto Chazz's side of the Field along with an ecstatic Ojama Yellow.

"_Hey, thanks boss!_" the creature grinned eagerly.

"Guh… I meant everyone except you!" Chazz snapped, glaring at the monster in annoyance.

"_Awwww!"_ Ojama cried, turning and making to run away.

"No way! Stop!" Czar shouted, understanding just what was about to happen.

"Stop? I don't think so." Chazz grinned. "It's time we ended this Battle Royale! Now, go my monsters! Give this "Czar" a King-sized clobbering!"

His four monsters roared and leapt forward in unison, combining their attacks into a single concentrated point that erupted into an explosion on Czar's side of the Field.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooo_oooooooooooooooooooooo!_" the man shouted, his eyes wide as he was engulfed in the destruction whole.

**CHAZZ – 1000 LP**

**CZAR – 0 LP**

"You. Go. Bye-Bye." Chazz said, lowering his Duel Disk as the monster holograms faded away.

He turned, leaving Czar to collapse to his knees in defeat. Chazz didn't have time to waste on the little people! He wanted to reach the top! And that meant…

"You! Butler!" Chazz shouted, pointing toward the man angrily. "It's time to Duel!"

"Hmph, I'm afraid not." Masakazu clucked his tongue in annoyance, having watched the scene from above. "That is enough Dueling for one night I'm afraid, and I've idled about down here long enough! It's time for you all to return to your rooms, and we'll finish this first thing in the morning!"

"What?! You mean you're running away?!" Chazz asked with a shout.

"Hardly. But there are more important things I have to do than humoring some Princeton Family Failure!" Masakazu shouted. "Still, I suppose your Dueling Skills aren't _completely_ horrible. I'll see you tomorrow, Princeton! But for now...! _Sleep!_"

From beneath the ground of the academy, several large guns suddenly burst onto the scene, filling the area with white smoke. Chazz reeled back in surprise, moving to cover his mouth and nose, but to no avail. His eyes grew weary, and ever so slowly, his body slumped to the ground.

"God... damn… it…" he managed to mutter, before falling to the floor unconscious.

The rest of the student body soon followed.

"Now then…" Masakazu mused, turning his attention back toward the tower. "It's time I dealt with that intruder!"

**-GX-**

**Chazz's Duel had come to an end… but high in the tower, Konami's had only just begun.**

**-GX-**

"You realize that this won't be the same as before, don't you?" Wisteria asked with an evil smile, the blue gleam in her eyes more frightening than before. "While it's true you defeated me when I was using my _Beast_ Deck, I am no longer bound by such constraints. The flames of Ruin and Demise now course through me… and my victory here… is all but assured!"

"Hmph, you say that like you're the only one who's had to build a new Deck!" Konami shouted. "I beat you before Wisteria… and now, using this Deck, I'll do it again!"

"Ho…? You mean your petty dragons are no more? A pity… I rather liked your Tyrant Dragon…" Wisteria revealed. "It showed just how cruel you could be."

"Well, don't worry." Konami said. "He's still in here, and while this Deck may be emulated after the strongest person I know… I'll _personally_ make sure that you see just how cruel he can be! Now, enough talk Wisteria! You and me! Right here, right now!"

"On the floor?" Wisteria asked.

Konami swept his hand out angrily. "I'll make you pay for what you've done! Buckle up, because it's time to Duel!"

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

**END**


	16. Blue X Hue

"You realize that this won't be the same as before, don't you?" Wisteria asked with an evil smile, the blue gleam in her eyes more frightening than before. "While it's true you defeated me when I was using my _Beast_ Deck, I am no longer bound by such constraints. The flames of Ruin and Demise now course through me… and my victory here… is all but assured!"

"Hmph, you say that like you're the only one who's had to build a new Deck!" Konami shouted. "I beat you before Wisteria… and now, using this Deck, I'll do it again!"

"Ho…? You mean your petty dragons are no more? A pity… I rather liked your Tyrant Dragon…" Wisteria revealed. "It showed just how cruel you could be."

"Well, don't worry." Konami said. "He's still in here, and while this Deck may be emulated after the strongest person I know… I'll _personally_ make sure that you see just how cruel he can be! Now, enough talk Wisteria! You and me! Right here, right now!"

"On the floor?" Wisteria asked.

Konami swept his hand out angrily. "I'll make you pay for what you've done! Buckle up, because it's time to Duel!"

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Six**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"Time to Duel, you say…?" Wisteria asked. "Yes, I suppose it is. But be warned, _worm_, I'll strike you down with everything I have!"

"I wouldn't expect anything less… from someone like you!" Konami shouted.

**DUEL**

**KONAMI VS WISTERIA**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 4000 LP**

"It's my move!" Konami shouted. "Draw!"

**TURN ONE – KONAMI**

"I'll start things off nice and easy with this! T.A.D.P.O.L.E… in Attack Position!" Konami shouted, throwing the first of many cards he found in the wastes onto his Duel Disk.

The Field glowed spectacularly as a rather lackluster monster appeared, flopping about helplessly with its small, wormlike body.

T.A.D.P.O.L.E. – (WATER/Aqua) – LV1 – (0/0)

"Hah!" Wisteria laughed. "A Tadpole? That is the best you could come up with?! How disappointing! It doesn't even have any Attack Points!"

"Not right now it doesn't!" Konami agreed, "But that's all about to change, with the Aqua Field – Wetlands!"

He revealed the green Field Spell in his hand, before sliding it into his Duel Disk and changing the floor into a sparkling green plain that reeked of dew.

"Wetlands? A Field Spell?" Wisteria asked aloud, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "What does it "dew"?"

"Ha. Ha." Konami drawled. "For your information, Wetlands increases the Attack Power of all Aqua-type, WATER-attribute, Level Two or lower monsters on the Field by Twelve-Hundred Points! That means… my T.A.D.P.O.L.E. here is about to get a whole lot stronger!"

The power of the Wetlands flowed into the creature's veins, and the blue markings atop its head began to glow. It ceased its flopping, turning to glare at Wisteria angrily.

T.A.D.P.O.L.E. – (WATER/Aqua) – LV1 – (1200/0)

"Hm… you may have given that monster a few measly Attack Points, but it's still more than weak!" Wisteria replied with a smirk. "Don't tell me this is all you managed to scrounge up on the wastes?"

"Oh I found a lot more than just T.A.D.P.O.L.E. here," Konami grimaced, "you're just gonna have to wait to find out what! I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn!"

Wisteria giggled, shaking her head at the motions. "Well I suppose that makes it my move now, doesn't it? Very well… I'll show you the power of my Ritual Deck! My Turn! Draw."

**TURN TWO – WISTERIA**

"I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands in Attack Position!" the woman shouted, throwing her card down forcefully.

Instantly, thousands upon thousands of gray hands erupted across her side of the Field, converging into a single mass that stared out toward Konami and T.A.D.P.O.L.E. blankly. A thunderous sound erupted from its strange face, and it stepped forward, moving to obey its master's wishes.

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands – (LIGHT/Fairy) – LV4 – (1400/1000)

"It's stronger huh?" Konami ground out, glaring at the creature.

"Oh yes, and that's not all, because just like his Thousand Hand counterpart, Manju here has an effect!" Wisteria smirked. "When he's Normal or Flip Summoned, I can add one Ritual Card from my Deck to my Hand, be it a Monster or a Spell!" she grabbed her Deck and swatted it open as she spoke, her eyes gleaming in search of the card she desired. "The card I choose is… this one! The Ritual Spell Card End of the World! Of course, you won't be seeing what it does just yet… but you will be seeing my Manju take out that hideous Tadpole of yours! Go my Ten Thousand Hand servant! Remove that amphibian from my sight! Attack!"

She swept her hand forward in an arcing motion, prompting Manju to obey her commands immediately. T.A.D.P.O.L.E. cried out as its body was smashed through an infinite number of punches, and it shattered, sending its remains flying across Konami's side of the Field.

"Guh…!" Konami winced, shielding his eyes as the golden particles washed over him, inflicting damage. "That's one…"

**KONAMI – 3800 LP**

**WISTERIA – 4000 LP**

"I think I'll end my Turn there. We don't want the fun to end _too_ quickly after all." Wisteria cackled, the blue gleam in her eye still present.

"That's fine by me!" Konami shouted. "My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"Well, what do you know? Looks like things are about to heat up after all, and I don't mean your blue flames!" Konami said, noting that the fire still drifted about the Field despite his Wetlands Spell. "I'm activating the effect of a monster in my hand! Thunder Dragon!"

He turned the card over swiftly, revealing the artwork of green, snake-like creature with dragon wings standing inside a storm.

"Now, by discarding this card," Konami said, sending it to the Graveyard from his hand, "I can add up to two additional Thunder Dragons from my Deck to my Hand!" he finished, grabbing his Deck and doing just that. "In this case, I'll be adding two more copies of Thunder Dragon!"

Wisteria shook her head. "What good will that do you? Now you just have more of the same monster taking up space! And since it is Level Five, you can't even summon it without at least one Tribute!"

"Yeah I know," Konami commented, "but there's more than one way to summon a monster, Wisteria… and I have a card that provides an additional way right here in my Hand! Behold, the Union Magic – Polymerization!"

"Polymerization?! Oh, don't tell me-" Wisteria scowled.

"That's right! Just like Zane can fuse his two Cyber Dragons together to create a new creature, so too can I fuse my two _Thunder_ Dragons for new strength! Watch now, as they combine forces to bring forth a creature with enough strength to be more than a match for your Manju!" Konami shouted, throwing his hand to the sky.

His two Thunder Dragons appeared on the Field for a mere instant before swirling together into a black abyss, and lightning suddenly struck down from the ceiling, engulfing the Wetlands with its electric light. Konami swept his hand out suddenly, and called out the name of his new creature.

"Come forth now, _Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!_"

A pair of wicked growls suddenly echoed throughout the area, and from the light a red creature with a long, purple horn emerged, glaring at Wisteria and Manju through is beady blue eyes. A second mouth lay agape near the center of its back, and they both roared out in anger upon being called forth.

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon – (LIGHT/Thunder/Fusion) – LV7 – (2800/2100)

"Ah! Its name really is like Zane's Cyber Twin Dragon!" Wisteria breathed. "It even has the same number of Attack and Defense Points… but I must say… that hideous thing looks _nothing_ like it!"

"You may be right about that," Konami agreed, "and it may not have the ability to attack twice during the Battle Phase either… but it does have enough firepower to strike your Manju to ash! Go Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! Zap that clingy bastard to pieces, with your _Raigeki Vortex!_"

The red thunder beast roared, its horn sparking with electricity and power as it crouched down in preparation to strike. Both of its mouths opened wide as the horn dimmed, and then, in a single motion, twin beams of flashing light erupted from their jaws, engulfing Manju whole.

Wisteria cried out as the second wave swept over her as well, inflicting the damage that Manju was too weak to withstand.

**KONAMI – 3800 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2600 LP**

As the light faded, Wisteria was revealed to be fine, though her body was now littered with mild bruises. She glowered at Konami angrily, her eyes tightened in a show of rage.

"I'll get you for that!" she muttered.

"I'm sure you will." Konami replied. "But first, you'll have to find a way to get past my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! If you can't do that… it's game over for you, Wisteria!"

"Ho…?" Wisteria asked, regaining some of her composure at the words. "And then what I wonder? Tell me, just what is it you plan on accomplishing here? Just what do you intend to do with me if, and I do mean _if_, you manage to defeat me? It's not as if this one Duel will change anything for you. You will still be hated, just as before. Without anyone from Duel Academy here to witness this occasion, do you really believe anything will change?"

"No. And that's why as soon as we're done here, I'm dragging you _back_ to Duel Academy! Kicking and screaming if I have to!" Konami shouted. He clenched his hand. "You left Kami and I to the wolves while you hid away here in your little palace…! Well, Wisteria, it's about time you found out just how cruel the _worms_ of society can be!"

"Hmph, very well. But don't forget Konami, if you can't defeat me here, neither of us will be going anywhere! And believe me when I tell you… that you have _no_ chance of winning!" Wisteria explained, grabbing the top of her Deck. "My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – WISTERIA**

"Well, well… as one hand leaves another arrives to take its place," Wisteria said, smiling at the card she drew. "I summon Senju of the Thousand Hands to the Field in Attack Position!"

Light rained down across the Field and slowly, a horde of glowing brown hands emerged, much like Manju's had earlier. Konami couldn't help but notice there were far fewer, however.

Senju of the Thousand Hands – (LIGHT/Fairy) – LV4 – (1400/1000)

"And, just like his Ten Thousand Handed counterpart…" Wisteria repeated, similar to her words before, "Senju has an effect! When he is Normal Summoned, I can add one Ritual Monster Card from my Deck to my Hand, which means…" she smirked, grabbing the card she chose from her opened Deck before shuffling the cards back into her Duel Disk, "I can add Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, to my Hand!"

She revealed the blue card for a single instant, before hiding it back into her Deck.

"_That means she should have everything she needs!"_ Konami thought furiously, _"A Ritual Spell… and a Monster to summon! The only question is… will she be doing it now, or later?!"_

"I'll set one card face-down…" Wisteria said, "…and End my Turn."

"….?!" Konami blinked in surprise.

"What?" Wisteria asked, tossing a hand through her hair slowly. "I said it before didn't I? I want to enjoy our frolic together. It may very well be the last time we do."

"You're right about that!" Konami scowled. "But if you're intent on not taking this seriously… fine! It's my Turn now, Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – KONAMI**

"Alright, Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, let's light up that Senju of hers! Go! _Raigeki Strike!_" Konami roared, throwing his arm forward for another go at Wisteria.

The twin-tailed Duelist merely shook her head at the motion, watching as Konami's Fusion Monster began to spark with electricity.

"Oh dear, don't you learn anything?" Wisteria asked with a smirk. "Never attack a woman with a face-down! Reveal Trap Card! Shadow Spell!"

"What?!" Konami explained, his eyes widening at the name.

As she spoke, Wisteria's face-down rose upward, and several sharp, glowing chains wrapped around Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon's form, rendering it immobile. The creature roared out in frustration and insult as the chains bound it to the earth, leaving it vulnerable, and incapable of attack.

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon – (LIGHT/Thunder/FUSION) – LV7 – (2100/2100)

"Hang on one moment!" Konami shouted. "What's going on here?! What'd you just do to my monster?!"

"Ho…? You don't know?" Wisteria asked, her eyes wide in delight. "Well then, allow me to explain the wondrous Trap known as Shadow Spell! You see, darling, Shadow Spell is a card I can only activate by targeting one face-up monster you control! It then not only prevents your monster from attacking… but decreases its attack by Seven-Hundred Points!"

"Ah! You mean… I can't attack?!" Konami shouted.

"That's right." Wisteria sang, "And that means, that that overgrown worm of yours is worthless now!"

"Ngh…!" Konami grimaced, clenching his fist tight. "Wisteria…!"

"Oh but don't worry," the girl continued. "I'm sure I can find a use for it… as something for my monsters to play with!"

"Heh…!" Konami smirked. "That's what you say, but even with that Trap of yours, my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon still has enough Attack Points to overcome your Senju! He won't be going anywhere I'm afraid! I'll set a card, and end my Turn!"

"Hmph! We'll see about that! It's my Turn now, Draw!" Wisteria shouted.

**TURN SIX – WISTERIA**

"Oh my." She said, glancing at her latest card. "I'm afraid it's time I showed you just how wrong you are, dear Konami-kun."

"Huh?!" Konami asked. "What's that?!"

"Why, the end I'm afraid." Wisteria mourned. "Or… at least the end of that dragon! I'm activating a Spell Card! The Ritual Spell, End of the World!"

"Ah…!" Konami exclaimed, reeling back at the revelation. "Your Ritual…!"

"That's right," Wisteria said. "Now, I can Tribute any number of monsters from my side of the Field or my Hand, and use them to Special Summon a Ritual Monster who's Level equals the total sum of the Levels of the monsters I'm Tributing! The card I intend to call forth is a Level Eight monster… so I'll be Tributing the Level Four Senju on my side of the Field and the Level Four Sonic Bird in my Hand!"

She revealed the card in her hand, detailing a brown bird equipped with a jetpack before sending it and Senju to the Graveyard. The blue flames surrounding the Field suddenly swept into a pillar in the center of the room, and Wisteria raised her arms eagerly as she began to chant.

"O' great fairy who sleeps among us… arise now and show us your might! Mislead! Manipulate! Wrap this world around you and cast it into the endless abyss! I call you with this Ritual, _Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!_"

The pillar broke, and a woman clad in similar garments as Wisteria appeared, though her hair was white, and a decorative headdress was donned on her person. She swept the axe-shaped staff in her arms about skillfully, and a dark shadow seemed to reside around her as she stared at Konami and his dragon coolly.

Ruin – (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) – LV8 – (2300/2000)

"So that's it huh…? Your so-called "Strongest Ritual?"" Konami asked.

"Oh don't be ridiculous." Wisteria laughed sharply. "Ruin may be a Ritual Monster, but she's certainly not the best in my Deck. That honor belongs to another monster I'm afraid."

"Didn't stop you from dressing as her though, did it?" Konami questioned.

"Indeed." Wisteria agreed, running a hand along her dress. "This silk feels smooth against my body, and it fits so well… She has good taste… not that you'd know anything about that! Go, Ruin! Teach that worm a lesson by destroying his monster!"

The Fairy nodded, whipping her staff about once more before leaping forward and smashing it deep into Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon's first face. The creature writhed and roared about, before finally shattering, and taking the Shadow Spell along with it. Konami winced as the shards of his monsters flew over him, inflicting yet another small amount of damage to him.

**KONAMI – 3600 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2600 LP**

"Not bad," Konami admitted, "but you'll have to do better if you want to bring me down!"

"Oh I intend to, because if you didn't know, Konami-kun…" Wisteria smirked. "Ruin here has an effect! When she destroys an opponent's monster by battle, she can attack once again in a row!"

"What?!" Konami shouted, glancing back at the Ritual Monster in surprise.

Her eyes gleamed blue, much like Wisteria's.

"Go, Ruin!" Wisteria screamed happily. "Direct Attack!"

The Queen of Oblivion smiled at the command, her dark shadow suddenly lunging forth from her being to slash Konami's Life Points away. Konami cried out upon contact, using his Duel Disk to protect himself as the overwhelming shadow batted him away. He rolled through the floor several feet, before coming to a sharp stop several feet from the window.

**KONAMI – 1300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2600 LP**

"G-Guh…!" Konami winced, slowly rising back up to his feet. "A real attack… nice trick."

"Oh there are no tricks here, Konami-kun." Wisteria smirked. "And you'll see that soon enough. I'll set one card, and end my Turn."

"Then I guess that means it's my move." Konami muttered. "Draw!"

**TURN SEVEN – KONAMI**

"Tsk… well, can't say I'm not happy to see it, but since he's here, you can bet that this "Ruinous" plan of yours is at an end, Wisteria! I'm activating a Spell Card, Foolish Burial!"

"Foolish what?" Wisteria asked.

"Foolish Burial!" Konami repeated. "When it's activated, I can select one monster in my Deck, and then, Send it to the Graveyard! The monster I'm choosing to send… is a second copy of T.A.D.P.O.L.E!"

"To the Graveyard?" Wisteria asked. "Why would that matter?"

"Because," Konami replied, "I'm activating two copies of the Trap Card Graceful Revival!"

The Wetlands roared with power as Konami's two T.A.D.P.O.L.E.S reappeared on the Field, both of them gazing toward Ruin fearfully.

T.A.D.P.O.L.E. – (WATER/Aqua) – LV1 – (1200/0)

T.A.D.P.O.L.E. – (WATER/Aqua) – LV1 – (1200/0)

"What's this?!" Wisteria asked with wide eyes. "What just happened?"

"It's Graceful Revival's effect!" Konami explained. "When I use it, I can Special Summon a Level Two or lower monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position! Since I used two, that means my two T.A.D.P.O.L.E.S are back from the Grave!"

The two amphibians nodded in agreement, though they showed no desire to fight someone so much stronger than them.

"I see. Well, even if you do have two monsters on the Field, it still does you no good!" Wisteria decreed. "Neither of them have the power to overcome the Queen of Oblivion, and that's all there is to it!"

"Oh I wouldn't say that," Konami smirked, "because while _they_ may not have the power… here in my hand is someone who does! I'm Tributing my two T.A.D.P.O.L.E.S to bring out something even stronger!"

He grabbed the card in his hand, whipping it back while preparing a chant.

"The King's grand jewel shines through here, subjugating all who dare oppose him!" Konami roared, his eyes gleaming red as he spoke. "Ruler! Oppressor! Rise with the might of the burning sun! I beckon you here now, _Tyrant Dragon!_"

He slammed the card on his Duel Disk, and a pillar of flame erupted on the Field, burning the very Wetlands themselves to give way to the ace. The dragon's great roar shook the room, threatening even the flames of blue that surrounded the two Duelists, before giving way to the great beast itself.

Slamming onto the earth, Tyrant Dragon roared once more.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2600)

"Tyrant Dragon…!" Wisteria breathed. "So that was your plan!"

"I promised you that you'd see him, and now here he is!" Konami shouted. "The Tyrant, the Ace, the best monster in my Deck! Tyrant Dragon!"

The dragon roared yet again at the words, agreeing fully that it _was_ the best.

"Ho…? So even with your new Deck he's still the best?" Wisteria asked with a smirk. "Well, I suppose that just means I'll have to beat him down and show him his place, won't I?"

"Good luck with that," Konami shouted, "because with his effect, he has nothing to fear from one of your Shadow Spells, and his Attack Points… are much higher than your Queen of Oblivion's! Go Tyrant Dragon! Show that Queen that no one can overpower the King! _Tyrant Tidal Flame!_"

The dragon snarled, rising on its hind feet to breathe a torrent of flames down toward Ruin.

Wisteria smirked.

"It's true that I may not be able to outdo him with a Shadow Spell…" she whispered, watching as the flames grew ever closer to her monster. "…but I do have… Defense Draw!"

"What?!"

An explosion rocked the room, and both Wisteria and Konami shielded themselves as monster shards splattered across the room. Konami was the first to lower his arm, staring through the cloud toward the silhouette of his dragon.

"_It's still there…"_ he thought, before turning his attention to Wisteria's covered Field. _"So then… Ruin is gone?"_

Indeed. As the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Wisteria's monster, and the girl herself was wearing a rather nasty frown. Still, Konami stepped forward in surprise.

"What's going on?!" he shouted, "Why didn't you take any damage from that last attack?!"

"Why Konami-kun, that's the effect of my Defense Draw!" Wisteria revealed, running a hand through her hair as she spoke. "When I use it, any Battle Damage I'd take during the turn it's activated becomes Zero, and then I get to draw a card. Which, of course, I already did."

Konami's eyes went wide. "No way…! Still, I destroyed Ruin…!"

"Yes, you did." Wisteria agreed, her face narrow and tight. "Something you'll pay dearly for soon enough! Now, it's my Turn isn't it? Draw!"

**TURN EIGHT – WISTERIA**

"I'm ending this." The girl glowered immediately. "I summon… Ritual Raven to the Field in Attack Position!"

A small squawk was heard as a small, black creature fell onto the Field, its arms frail and weak. Two large grinning masks sat where its eyes should have been, and from its legs, small feathered wings made themselves known.

Ritual Raven – (DARK/Fiend) – LV1 – (300/300)

"What's the deal? That monster only has Three-Hundred Attack Points!" Konami shouted.

"Yes, I know. However, I have no intention to use that creature to battle your Tyrant Dragon." Wisteria explained. "In fact, your dragon won't be doing much battling at all after this! Effect activate! When I Tribute Ritual Raven for the Ritual Summon of a DARK Monster, it can be treated as the entire Tribute!"

"…! Wait! What'd you just say?!" Konami shouted.

"I now activate my chosen Ritual Spell, Contract with the Abyss! Like Ritual Raven, I can use this card as a Ritual Spell for any DARK Ritual Monster I choose. And oh did I choose!" Wisteria shouted, raising her chosen card to the sky as the blue flames sparked and roared around them.

"The world cracks and flees upon sight of this unholy king! Fear! Fracture!" she chanted, twirling about once while speaking. "Be made whole now and conquer all lands in sight! I call your name, _Demise, King of Armageddon!_"

The world burned as a ghostly warrior in black armor emerged from the abyss, a great battle axe clad in his arms. His armor was plated with white spikes, and behind him, a blue cape burned with the flames of disaster. He roared angrily, revealing his skeletal face to the world before snarling at Konami and his Tyrant Dragon.

Demise – (DARK/Fiend) – LV8 – (2400/2000)

"Demise…" Konami recalled, remembering that _that_ was the name of Wisteria's strongest monster. "The strongest Ritual…?"

"That's right." Wisteria smirked, her eyes gleaming powerfully in the night. "…Truly, a man after my own heart." She giggled, before returning to the problem at hand.

"I don't get it." Konami murmured. "That monster only has Twenty-Four Hundred Attack Points! What does he intend to do? Whine my Tyrant to sleep?"

"No, and with his effect, he won't have to!" Wisteria laughed.

"Effect?" Konami asked.

"Yes. Why do you think I was so intent on defending my Life Points last turn, even if it meant letting Ruin fade to nothing? It was all so I'd have enough to activate my King's effect!" Wisteria declared, throwing her hand to the sky victoriously. "Once per turn, I can pay Two-Thousand Life Points to destroy everything on the Field, _except_ for Demise himself!"

"…! What?! Impossible!" Konami shouted.

"You realize what this means don't you?!" Wisteria asked. "With the Field clear and Demise on the Field… he'll be free to deliver you a game-ending final attack!"

"Hold on-!"

"The waiting game is over! Go Demise, wipe this world away with your _Black Hammer!_"

Demise roared at the order, raising its axe high into the air before smashing it into the ground below. The impact shattered the Wetlands immediately, and blue flames spit and roared from the earth engulfing everything whole. Tyrant Dragon cried out in outrage, its own power not strong enough to withstand Demise's attack. It too shattered, leaving the Field empty, and Konami defenseless.

"_Huaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"_

The final effects of Demise's power roared throughout the room, and Konami was thrown back into the window, smashing it open completely.

**KONAMI – 0 LP**

**WISTERIA – 400 LP**

The Field clear, Wisteria swiftly crossed the room, grabbing the nearly fallen Konami by the shirt and pulling him close.

"…ah…I…lost…?" Konami asked weakly, staring up into the girl's victorious gaze.

"That's right, Konami-kun," the girl said, her eyes still filled with the blue gleam of Demise. "You should have foreseen the outcome, using such atrocious cards as those. Frogs? _Really_?"

"…ugh…I'm not… done yet." He muttered, making to grab the woman's wrist.

"Oh I think you'll find you are." Wisteria smiled. Using her free hand she quickly grabbed a card from Konami's Graveyard, Tyrant Dragon. "My reward." She said. "Now…"

She pushed the boy back out, and he fell.

"Perish."

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

**END**


	17. Facts X Pacts

The door to the tower burst open, and from within, Wisteria smiled.

"Oh, Masakazu." she said gently, lowering the tea cup that had been on the edge of her lips to gaze upon the man who now stood before her. "Where have you been? I've been ever so worried."

"Apologies, young lady." The butler said swiftly, gazing about the room in discomfort. "There was an… event… in the courtyard." The man continued to glance about, drawing Wisteria suspicion and wonder at his sudden movements.

"Masakazu, what's wrong?" she asked, raising her tea cup for another sip. "Is something the matter?"

"No, madam, it's just…" the butler paused, straightening his back before bowing to the woman honorably. "Apologies. It's just, I feared there may have been an intruder."

"An intruder? Truly?" Wisteria asked with wide eyes. "Dearest butler, surely you jest? We are on the highest floor after all? How on earth would we have an intruder?"

"Yes… I suppose you're right about that." The man agreed after some thought.

How foolish of him, to believe someone could climb the tower by hand.

"Now then, if you're done with these silly games of yours," Wisteria laughed lightly to show she was joking, "would you mind fetching me another cup of tea? I do believe I'm out."

She pouted, revealing her empty cup to the man.

"Y-Yes! Right away madam!" the butler exclaimed, fleeing to the kitchen to do just that.

"Oh dearest Masakazu…" Wisteria sighed, placing her cup on the table beside her before setting a hand to her cheek. "…ever so loyal, ever so gullible…" she rolled her eyes, a playful smirk coming across her face as she glanced at her newest card. "How would we have an intruder? I suppose that is the question, isn't it…? Tyrant Dragon."

The butler returned moments later, and Wisteria smiled gleefully.

"The tea, milady." The butler said, gently pouring the girl another cup before glancing at the dragon in her hands. "What's this? Another new card?"

"A gift." Wisteria said, "For you. Do take care of it would you?"

"A gift…?" the butler exclaimed. "But, I couldn't."

"Oh stop being so melodramatic and take it." Wisteria said. "It could use a home among that Revolutionary Deck of yours, couldn't it? God knows _I_ couldn't use it. It'd clash with my Rituals!"

"Yes… well… very well. If you insist." Masakazu mused, taking the card into his hands.

He yelped, stepping back upon feeling a powerful sting.

"What's the matter?" Wisteria asked, her gaze hard. "Do you not like it?"

"Oh, no!" the butler insisted, quickly grabbing the card and sliding it into his Deck holster. "I'll take good care of it madam, I assure you."

"You best." Wisteria agreed. "Now then… what shall you do…?"

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Seven**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

Yata-Garasu was not amused.

Konami had fallen quite a considerable distance, and even with the miraculous snow slide he had fallen into, the boy was unmoving.

The one-legged crow was not amused.

He knew, he could _feel_, that the boy was not yet dead. His heart still pulsed, his lungs still breathed. He was not yet dead. So why, why, _WHY_ did he not move?!

Yata-Garasu nipped at the boy's fingers angrily, demanding some form of acknowledgement.

Still, he did not move.

Yata-Garasu bit his ear.

"…ow…"

Konami grunted, moving a fraction of a fraction of an inch. Slowly, _very_ slowly, he curled over, his face contorted in pain with each movement.

"…am I dead…?"

Slowly, the boy leaned upward, wincing upon feeling the sting that came with each movement. His body twisted and shuddered, and with a loud groan, Konami ran his hand along his bare body, feeling the many bandages that were tightly strewn across his form.

Wait… bandages?

Konami glanced down at himself in surprise. Indeed, his upper body was clad in tight wraps and gauze, keeping what little unbroken ribs he had left from joining the rest. Examining himself, Konami found that his arms too, had been wrapped neatly, along with the lower part of his left leg. It seemed that he had been nursed, though he could not discern who. Yata-Garasu, while capable of _harming_ him, had not shown any knowledge of the human body, and even if it did, Konami did not believe the Duel Spirit would have had the materials readily available as needed.

So if not him… then who?

The sound of a door opening broke Konami's thoughts.

"Ah, so you're awake? What a relief. I had thought you dead." a voice said cheerfully, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of swift footsteps.

Glancing upward, Konami came face-to-face with the mysterious man from before; the one who had tossed Chazz and him into the icy wastelands of North Academy in the first place.

"The man from the submarine…" Konami breathed.

"So you remember me." The masked figure spoke cheerfully, though his mysterious yet stern tone was still somehow present in his words. "Good. That alone alleviates the worry of any brain damage you may have sustained as well."

"Brain damage…? What are you talking about?" Konami asked, making to rise only to find himself wincing in pain yet again.

"Easy…" the man warned. "You took quite a fall. You should give your body more time to heal."

"Fall…?" Konami asked. "Like I said, what are you talking about-? Ah!" his eyes widened, and Konami recalled the events that had led to his condition.

Breaking into the tower, Dueling Wisteria, falling, and…

"Tyrant Dragon!" Konami shouted, remembering the last words he and Wisteria had exchanged before his great descent.

His sudden outburst was rewarded by yet another throb of pain, and Konami doubled over, gripping his chest tightly.

"As I said before, you should take it easy." The man said for a second time. "Your body… needs time to heal."

"No. I have things to do, and I need to get Tyrant Dragon back-!" Konami winced.

"So you intend to scale the tower once more?" the man asked. "I would advise against it, young Duelist. Have you already forgotten what it was that brought you here the first time?"

"…" Konami frowned. Of course he remembered, how could he not? It wasn't everyday that someone pushed you out of a tower, after all. Still, the man's words sparked something in Konami's mind regardless.

"Speaking of which, where is "here", anyway?" he asked, glaring at the man suspiciously. "I don't remember falling into a bed."

Quite. In fact, now that Konami took a moment to study his surroundings, he found his location to be nothing like the outside of the tower at all. Strong walls covered them on all sides, and a strong warmth filled the area, no doubt emitted from the crackling fire burning beneath the building's chimney.

The man chuckled at the words, taking the time to pet Yata-Garasu gently while formulating his response.

"Why, you are in my humble abode." The man said finally, confirming Konami's suspicions. "Of course, without your formidable Duel Spirit here, you would have been left to die in the frost outside."

"My Duel Spirit…?" Konami wondered, glancing at Yata-Garasu. "It saved me…?"

"Indeed. Why, it just wouldn't stop attacking me until I agreed to follow it to your location." The man chuckled from beneath his mask. "A mile from here, half buried in snow and ice… I had feared you long gone. Nonetheless, I brought you here in hopes of a miracle, and… I was not disappointed."

Konami felt as if the man were studying him, and the thought alone made the boy uneasy.

"Well, thanks for that…" he said slowly, _warily_, "I guess. But like you said, I'm awake now, so…"

He made to stand, struggling several times before finally succeeding in his task.

"I'll be going."

The man yet again chuckled, though it was darker, sinister. Almost as if he were mocking the Slifer.

"Are you sure that would be wise, child?" he asked.

"Yeah. I have things I need to do, people I need to see. Payback I need to deliver." Konami grimaced.

"And you intend to do this… how?" the man asked.

"How?" Konami asked incredulously. "What kind of question is that? Obviously I'll climb the tower again and go Duel her-!"

Konami suddenly glanced around, noticing something was missing.

"Figured it out have you?" the man asked, and Konami couldn't help but believe the man was smirking at him.

"My Deck… My Duel Disk…! Where are they?!" Konami scowled.

The man stared back at Konami for several seconds, before nodding his head slowly. Turning, he made his way from the room, beckoning Konami follow with a simple gesture.

Konami complied.

"I did what I could," the man explained, "but you must understand. When one falls from a height such as yours… it's only natural that things get a little… _broken_."

He came to a stop in what appeared to be the living room, gesturing toward a large, wooden table upon which a multitude of items were thrown. Torn paper, broken objects, and metallic shards littered the table's surface, and Konami slammed his hands down upon its sides in disgust.

"These are…!" he shouted, attempting to restrain himself.

"What's left of your belongings I'm afraid. Of course, some cards managed to save themselves, but… I hardly believe them enough to forge a working Deck." The man explained.

Konami grimaced. So essentially, he was back to square one, _again_. No. In fact, he was at an even worse place than before, considering his Duel Disk was now little more than scraps of metal. He slammed his fist onto the table in anger, his mind unable to cope with the added stress.

"_Damn it!_" he yelled. "What am I supposed to do now?!"

Yata-Garasu squawked at the sudden outburst, though the man seemed unsurprised. It was how he too would have reacted he suspected, if he'd discovered that _his_ only means of survival had been stripped away.

"This is… my fault." he offered after a moment.

Konami shook his head in a mixture of annoyance and frustration. "What are you talking about…?"

"I am afraid… that your being here is a consequence of my own meddlesome planning." The man revealed. "The cards you gathered throughout this island… they were not found at random, young Duelist. I placed them before you, before _both_ of you," he amended, "in hopes that their structures and strategies would be enough to unleash your true potential. With your friend Chazz this has thus far seemed to be the case… but with you…" the man trailed off. "I would seem I was mistaken. Both you and the cards you wielded have suffered as a part of my own desire… and for that, I truly apologize."

Konami remained quiet for a moment.

"It was you? You're the one who placed the cards in the ice?" he whispered, not yet facing the man.

"Are you angry?" the man questioned.

"No. Not at you." Konami replied.

And it was true. This man may have been the one to guide Konami toward the cards he found, but it was Konami himself who chose to wield them. By doing so, he had taken responsibility for their actions, and so too, for their fate.

He glanced at the ruined cards in front of him once more, frowning at their pictures in self-disgust.

"…sorry." He muttered, before turning away from them completely. "You said you're the one who placed all the cards here… in that case… tell me this. Is it true?"

The man seemed to take a moment to respond. "I'm sorry? Is what true?"

"The rumor about North Academy." Konami explained. "Rituals, Fusions, Levels. The rumor of the three strongest… is it true?"

Again, the man took his time to respond. Yata-Garasu was forced to peck at him mildly impatiently, and only then did the man seem to snap from his stupor.

"The three strongest…? Well, I suppose parts of the tale are true." He answered wistfully. "North Academy indeed carries a set of Ritual, Fusion, and Level Monsters… but they can hardly be called _the Strongest_." He revealed. "Indeed, while it is true that in their own Decks, they can be quite devastating creatures, the game Pegasus designed was built for fairness, and in that way, there is always a way to get around them."

"I see…" Konami mused.

"May I ask why you were wondering such a thing?" the man questioned.

"The girl I was dueling." Konami answered simply. "The reason I came here… She had a Ritual card she called the strongest. Demise, King of Armageddon."

"Ah, yes I suppose that would be one of the cards in our possession." The man spoke softly. "Indeed. The Armageddon Trio are a difficult force to deal with. I suspect it is through their power that young Wisteria rose to the top as quickly as she did, and just as soon as she returned from her travels abroad as well…"

"You know her…?" Konami asked.

"I know of her." The man explained. "It is hard not to, when the Fujiwara Tower overlooks us all so."

Indeed. Even from the outskirts of the island the gleaming tower was present, a monument to Wisteria's impossibly large ego.

"So then, the other two…" Konami said.

"…have also been distributed, I'm afraid." The man revealed. "Well, one of them has, at least. The power of Fusion, was in fact, to be yours, but… with the loss of the Des Frogs, so too, has that avenue been closed off."

Reaching into the folds of his heavy winter coat, the man grabbed a small purple card before revealing it to Konami.

"D.3.S. Frog?" Konami asked incredulously, staring at its Fusion Material Requirements. "Three Des Frogs…"

"It was intended to go to you, as I said. But… in your Deck's current state…" the man mourned.

"…It's not that good of a card." Konami noted, much to the man's outrage.

"…If you don't like it, then I'll take it back!" The man snapped, snatching the card from Konami's grip.

Konami sighed. "I know every card's supposed to have its use but… just powering based on cards in the Graveyard is…"

"Something your White-Horned Dragon did, no?" the man asked rhetorically.

Konami flinched at the reminder.

The two glared at each other in silence for a moment, before each of them glanced away awkwardly.

"What about the other card then?" Konami asked. "The Level…?"

"That too, is lost to you." The man said. "Its power is meant for another. The one you came here with."

"Chazz?" Konami asked. "I see… so he gets one too."

"Is that a problem?"

"Not at all." Konami answered. "He'll probably be happy… knowing that there's at least something in it for him after coming as far as he did."

"Indeed."

"So that's it then…?" Konami asked. "The Demise Trio, the Level, and the D.3.S. Frog that no one can use… I guess that's it then, isn't it? There's nothing else for me here…"

"Well, I wouldn't say _that_." The man said cryptically.

Konami paused, turning to glance back at the man in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "Those are all the cards this Academy has to offer, aren't they?"

The man chuckled. "While it is true that the Fusion, the Ritual, and the Level are the cards North Academy is known for… there are secrets here that not even the wisest of students know. Did you know, young Duelist, that Duel Academy holds a labyrinth beneath its hallowed walls?"

"…Yeah, actually." Konami blinked in surprise. What did Duel Academy have to do with anything? "Someone… told me about it before I left."

"Did they now?" the man asked in surprise, stroking the chin of his mask in thought. "Intriguing. I did not expect you to know that particular piece of information."

"It's not something I go around advertising." Konami muttered, glancing at the floor quietly. "I made a promise."

"Then tell me, do you know why it is such a labyrinth is present on a school full of children like yourselves?" the man asked. "Or was that something that even you were not privy to?"

"…You know something about it?" Konami asked.

"Oh yes." The man whispered conspiratorially. "You see young Duelist, the truth is…" he leaned close. "_Duel Academy too holds cards within its midst._"

"Huh?" Konami blinked in surprise. "Really? What kinds of cards?"

"Oh nothing important." The man muttered. "Some Sacred something or another. The real question here child, is whether or not you understand the importance of such an act. Tell me, do you believe that North Academy could rival Duel Academy for no reason? Where one goes, so too must the other, and so… _there is some truth_ to the rumors of cards."

"I know there's some truth to them." Konami deadpanned. "You just told me that."

"Ah, I told you there was truth to the _Strongest_ rumors," the man corrected. "The problem, young Duelist, is that the two are not one in the same."

A thick tension seemed to circulate around the room, and Konami couldn't help but feel that he didn't quite belong. Frowning, he listened to the man's words cautiously, hoping to discover just what _truth_ he was to unveil next.

"You see child," the man began, "just as cards sleep beneath Duel Academy's surface… so too do cards sleep beneath these icy crevices. Why, Pegasus himself placed them here, stating that the world was not yet ready for what they had to offer."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Konami asked.

The man chuckled darkly.

"Why don't you go find out?" he replied. "It's not as if they lie far from here."

And so Konami had gone.

Through snow and ice he marched, with only his long-ruined jacket to warm him and the small mass of Yata-Garasu to urge him forward. His body ached with pain, the damage from Wisteria's treachery having not yet healed, but still he pushed onward, hoping, _needing_, to discover the truth.

His travels led him to an icy cavern, filled with a sparkle unlike any other. Even in the night it shone, drawing and beckoning any who crossed its path nearer. Konami was amazed that it had remained hidden so long, and yet, he knew that without Yata-Garasu and the mysterious man's words to guide him, he'd have never found it.

The Duel Spirit cawed, evidently agreeing with the boy's internal thoughts before swooping down onto the boy's shoulder to perch.

"Yeah." Konami told it. "You did well, Yata-Garasu."

The bird cawed once more. As if it needed to be told that.

Shaking his head at the bird's attitude, Konami pressed forward, and made his way into the glowing cave. Despite what it seemed to offer from outside, what Konami found was rather… lackluster.

Despite its initial overwhelming appearance, the cavern was in fact only a single chamber, surrounded on all sides by reflective lenses. Konami's reflection followed him as he stepped inside of the room, guiding himself to a large, looming pedestal centered in its middle.

A single Duel Disk lay seated on its surface.

"…I see." Konami mumbled, feeling the Duel Disk's sleek metal with his hand.

"_Do you really?"_ a mysterious voice echoed around him, earning both his and Yata-Garasu's attention.

"_Heh, of course he doesn't."_ Zane's voice replied, moving through the area. _"He's a loser."_

"What…?!" Konami shouted in anger, glancing about the room in surprise.

Yata-Garasu cawed at the sudden movement, tightening its grip on the boy's shoulder to remain balanced.

"_You heard him, slacker!"_ Chazz's voice said. _"You're a loser, loser!"_

"Guh…!" Konami scowled, the voices fading away as he eyed the area.

He took the Duel Disk into his hands, the sudden loss of weight lowering the pedestal into the icy ground from which it had originated. The moment it vanished, one of the reflective lenses gave way, revealing a path further inside the cavern.

"I get it… I have to go further in huh…?" Konami muttered to himself.

"_Heh… like you have the balls."_ Chazz's voice goaded from farther inside, beckoning Konami onward.

The voice faded before Konami could respond, though the boy glared angrily at the words.

Yata-Garasu cawed, not feeling at all comfortable with going further inside. Still, it was not his decision to make. He was the one who had guided Konami there after all, and now he had to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The two walked for some time into the darkness, small whispers and sounds echoing around them with each step. Each step was agonizing for the young Slifer, but he knew, somehow, that he had to continue. He chalked it up to not wanting someone like Chazz to have the last laugh, but he couldn't help but feel there was something more there… something stronger.

"_Like me?"_ Zane asked, his reflection appearing before the boy. _"You should have known what you were getting into, challenging the power of the Cyber-style! To think I ever expected a challenge. Boy, was I disappointed."_

"_I'll say, but what did you expect, dealing with a Slifer like him?"_ Alexis sighed, an exasperated expression on her own reflection. _"You didn't really think he'd be worth your time did you?"_

"_Yeah, I mean, he doesn't even know how to get his game on!"_ Jaden chimed in, his usual goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Ngrgh…" Konami growled.

"_Quite."_ Bastion agreed. _"I had hoped that I'd finally found a rival… but my Water Dragon was a waste on someone like him. He's worse than Chazz!"_

"_What're you sayin about me?!"_ Chazz shouted, appearing in one of the reflections overhead. _"You better pipe down ya Yellow, cause there's no way the Princeton would lose to the likes of this slacker!"_

"_No, you'd just be abandoned by him instead!"_ Bastion's reflection laughed.

"_A deserter and a failure?! Man, talk about bad company!"_ Syrus said. _"Even I'm better than that!"_

"_You're right Sy, you are! And you haven't even dueled yet!"_ Jaden said.

"_And he shouldn't have to."_ Zane said. _"At least… not with this loser."_

"_Yeah, he's like, not even a C Minus now! More like a D." _Mindy's reflection said.

"_Or an F."_ Jasmine suggested.

"_Konami… F'Kodo." _Jaden said, _"Has a nice ring to it, don'tcha think?!"_

"All of you shut up!" Konami shouted. "I'm not a failure, I'm not!"

"_And yet you couldn't even beat me."_ Wisteria's reflection appeared behind him, prompting him to swivel around angrily. _"The one Duel that actually mattered, the one Duel where your future was on the line, and you lost. Fufufu… I even got a brand new card out of the deal!"_ Her reflection revealed the Tyrant Dragon in her hand, earning a cry of outrage from the Slifer.

He made to run at her, but she was gone just as quickly as she'd come.

"_Yeah. He can't be counted on to come through when he needs to."_ Chazz snorted. _"Leaving me to deal with those scum myself, how pathetic!"_

"…_and here I thought to actually call him a friend."_ Yuma frowned.

"_Friend? Enemy is a better term."_ Kami said. _"One who ruins lives."_

"_Aw, who'd wanna be friends with a guy like that?"_ Jaden asked. _"You're much better off hanging with Bastion, even if he's forgotten all the time!"_

"_I resent that!"_ Bastion shouted.

"_I'm outta here. This kid doesn't even know why he keeps losing."_ Zane muttered, turning away.

"_Yeah, let's ditch him."_ Alexis agreed.

One by one the reflections began to walk away, their images growing smaller and smaller as time passed. Konami glowered at all of them, Yata-Garasu still perched worriedly on his shoulder as he began to tremble.

"Don't you run away! Come back here!" Konami shouted angrily, wincing at the pain his sudden movements put his body through. "Come back here _now_!"

Suddenly, a light shined in front of him, engulfing a single reflective lenses.

"_I bet you'd like that wouldn't you?"_ Wisteria's reflection asked. _"For them all to come back to you? But… that's not going to happen. Face it dearest. You're simply not good enough. You ran away from Duel Academy. You ran away from the students of North Academy. And now…?"_ Wisteria asked, a victorious smile pulling at her lips. _"You'll run away from me."_

"_Nooooooo!"_ Konami shouted, disarming the glowing Duel Disk and hurling it toward Wisteria's reflection.

The object smashed through the lenses with ease, shattering it and all the other panels around him before crashing to the ground. Konami doubled over at the motion, leaning on his knees for physical and emotional support while panting in exhaustion.

"It's hard, isn't it?" a familiar voice asked from ahead. "To hear and see your own thoughts depicted in such a way."

Konami's breathing paused, and he slowly looked upward toward the speaker. His eyes widened upon seeing who it was.

"Impossible…!" he croaked, Yata-Garasu cawing in agreement. "You're…!"

"Yeah." The figure said, leaning down and grabbing Konami's Duel Disk.

The light of the cavern shone once more, revealing an identical, but darker version of Konami himself.

"I'm Konami…" he said, fiddling with the Disk gently. "…but you can call me… _Red Hat_."

**-GX-**

**Konami stared at his reflection in shock…**

**-GX-**

"Red…Hat…?" Konami asked, knowing the name far too well.

How could he not?

It was the name _they_ gave him. The ones who had loathed him, berated him, _judged_ him. The ones who didn't understand.

"I'd wondered, if you would come." Red Hat said, staring at the Duel Disk in his hands. "If you would dare approach this hallowed ground."

In a swift motion, he tossed the Duel Disk back to Konami, leaving the boy to fumble around lightly before finally managing to grasp the thing tightly in his arms.

"I guess in the end, it was just too much, huh?" Red Hat continued. "The yelling, the harassing… you just couldn't take it anymore, could you?"

"What is this…? What are you?" Konami breathed.

"The Future," Red Hat answered, "the Past. What could have been, what could still be. The collection of your senses, your thoughts, and all of theirs. This world is a strange one… isn't it, _me_?"

"You're an illusion." Konami stated firmly. "A hallucination, sent here to confuse me."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You stand within the seal of a great barrier, _Red Hat_." The copy said firmly. "Dare you break it?"

"If I must."

"With no thought of the consequences, are concern for the safety of others?" the copy asked. "Such a hothead… it's that kind of thinking that got you those scars."

"It's that kind of thinking that got me this far." Konami retorted.

"True enough." Red Hat agreed. "So tell me… will you take responsibility?"

"…for what?"

Red Hat chuckled to himself, as if Konami had said something silly.

"For what you're about to do. It wasn't easy you know, putting them here. If you let them out, the world might change again." Red Hat explained. "If it does, will you take responsibility, or will you run away… like you've been doing so far?"

There was silence for a moment, and Red Hat smiled.

"Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. Not if you've already come _this_ far anyway. You've already agreed to the Pact, after all."

"The Pact?" Konami questioned. "What Pact? With who?"

"A Pact with Pegasus." Red Hat explained gleefully. "A Pact with me! And _them_." The reflection gestured behind itself, where a large ice wall stood erect. "That Disk on your arm confirms it… and so too, does this."

Red Hat waved his hands once, and suddenly, a glowing pendant composed of three golden shards appeared around Konami's neck. The Slifer cried out in surprise, reeling backward as he stared down at the necklace now adorning his neck.

"What is this?!"

"It's the future." Red Hat said simply, the ice wall behind him giving way.

And Konami screamed.

* * *

**-Chapter Seventeen-**

* * *

**END**


	18. Jazz X Chazz

It was morning. The cold chill of night had long passed, and with it, the effects of the butler's sleeping gas. With a low, irritated growl, _Chazz Princeton_ awoke, rolling onto his side to gaze at the ever luminous sky.

"Argh… What the-? What happened?!" he asked aloud, rubbing his eyes wearily with his free hand.

It was a question many wondered. Even to those accustomed to Masakazu's shenanigans, it was the first time the man had ever decided to use such a brutal tactic to send them all to sleep. It was curious. _Very _curious. Unfortunately, Chazz had little time to ponder on why the man had done what he'd done, much less question those who might know, for even after defeating the Czar, he knew there was still more work to be done. The butler responsible for his forced sleep and weary body had yet to be defeated, and that meant, _somehow_, Chazz was still a far cry away from being the best Duelist in North Academy, especially considering that he'd yet to discern Red Hat's location as well.

And Red Hat, Chazz thought angrily, crushing his fist at the thought of the slippery Slifer. Just where did he get off, running off like that?! One thing was certain, the next time they met, Red Hat would have some explaining to do, and that'd be _after_ Chazz was finished throttling him for his actions in the first place. Still, it wasn't as if the Princeton could blame the boy entirely. Red Hat _was_ a Slifer back in Duel Academy after all, and Chazz, in all his elite glory, should have expected such techniques from one of _them_. He snorted at the thought of the Slifers yet again, before driving them from his mind before he could upset himself further. There was no time to worry about those slackers! He was an elite, and that meant, as a _Princeton_, he could only stand at the top!

He forced himself to his feet, his sleeping legs numb and wrought with pain due to the sudden loss of movement they'd suffered some hours earlier. Still, Chazz was not to be denied. With a loud cry, he rose, his body filled with his passionate fury to wreak vengeance upon those who had done this to him. Jaden, Konami, that mysterious masked man who'd dumped him there, and yes, the butler Masakazu as well! He'd beat them all if he had to, it was his destiny!

The sound of an opening gate behind him broke his thoughts, and he turned to face the noise. Upon seeing just _who_ stumbled through, his elitist grin grew. It seemed as though he'd have his chance for revenge after all…

As a Princeton!

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Eight**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

Konami sneezed. Somewhere, somehow, he couldn't help but feel as though someone was cursing him from afar. Kami maybe? He wouldn't put it past her, considering how she still thought _he_ was responsible for her current situation. Hopefully that wouldn't be the case much longer.

"Gesundheit." The masked man said politely, setting a cup of coffee down before the boy.

"Thanks." Konami said, wrapping his icy fingers around the warm cup appreciatively. "Anyway, where was I again?"

"You had just finished enlightening me with the tale of this wondrous "Pact" you've partaken in. I can only assume by your words that this means you were successful?"

"Yeah." Konami nodded. "I came across quite a few things in that cavern. Pegasus was smart, sealing them there. I can't imagine what some people would do if they got their hands on something like that."

"Well, I suppose that means we'll have to trust you make the most of it, won't we?" the masked man chuckled. "Still, the terms of this Pact are rather curious. Would you mind running me through them once more?"

Konami sighed. That would mark the tenth time the man had asked within the last half hour. It was starting to grind at the young boy's nerves. Was the masked man just old and forgetful, or was there some other motive behind his questions? Either way, Konami figured it wouldn't hurt to tell him once more.

"…but this is the last time." He muttered aggressively before glancing at the man. "Alright, listen up. I don't want to repeat this any more than I have to, so this is the last time I'm mentioning it, got it?"

The old man nodded, curling his fingers beneath his chin while looking toward Konami solemnly.

"Thou shalt not use thine cards except in the most extreme of circumstances. Thou shalt not forfeit possession of thine cards. And finally, Thou shalt take responsibility for thine card's actions." Konami repeated slowly, emphasizing each word so that the man couldn't _possibly_ ignore their meaning. "Not sure what the last one means yet, but the other two are rather straight to the point."

"Hm…" the masked man murmured, gazing upon Konami with a gleaming eye. "It would seem you had best keep a firm grip on these cards of yours then. I can only fear what repercussions may befall you if you do not."

"Speaking of things befalling me…" Konami interrupted, "did you finish that thing I asked you about?"

"Ah, of course." The masked man replied.

Rising from his seat, he approached an ajar closet in the back of the room, reaching within its confines to grasp a sleek uniform he'd created. Withdrawing it from the closet's clutches, the man swiftly tossed it onto the table, revealing his creation for Konami's eyes to see.

"Not bad." The boy muttered, evidently pleased with the cloth's design.

After his former uniform was all but destroyed, Konami knew he'd require something… _warmer_ if he was to remain in the cold embrace of North Academy. As such, it was only natural that he had asked the man if any such clothes were available. Of course, Konami's luck had long run out. Prior to his decision to venture forth into the icy caverns, no such clothing existed. Whatever the man had in his hut was far too large for the boy to wear, and as a result he'd been forced to trek forth into the cold with little more than his worn, torn, gear. Fortunately however, the man had more than enough material to design such things while Konami was away.

Using the schematics of a basic Slifer Red uniform, the man had sewn together durable red leather capable of withstanding the Academy's icy temperatures. Supported by thick padding on the shoulders and legs, the uniform was perfect for any heavy duty situations Konami may have found himself in.

It was the kind of thing he'd be expected to wear in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but North Academy would have to do.

Quickly changing his clothes, Konami strapped his Decks to their new holsters and glanced in the mirror.

"I'm surprised how snug it fits." He mused quickly, glancing at his appearance. "I didn't think you'd have the time to take my measurements."

"Well, I didn't waste my time doing nothing while you were unconscious after all." The masked man replied cryptically, and for a moment, Konami shivered. "Now then, I suppose you should be off no? Unless you'd prefer to wait another few days before finishing your business here?"

"No." Konami denied, turning to leave. "You've done more than enough already. I won't overstay my welcome here. Besides, if everything goes well I'll have a new home in the top of that tower. That's why you brought Chazz and I here in the first place after all… right, Headmaster?"

Being addressed by the sudden title made the man pause. Still, knowing he'd been found out did little to curve the man's enthusiasm.

"Fufufu… indeed. Try not to take any more large falls, however." The man said instead, wrapping his arms behind his back. "Next time, your Duel Spirit may not be able to save you. And before you leave, one more thing." The man reached into his pockets, grabbing several cards before tossing them to Konami. "I'm sure you know what those are for, no?

Konami smiled wryly, glancing at the cards before sliding them into his pockets and making his way toward the door.

"I understand." he said, throwing it open into the cold wasteland. "This is the only time I'll be your errand boy though."

He slammed the door behind him as he left, and the headmaster… was alone.

Konami however, was not. Quickly, he retraced his steps, returning to the wooden gate of North Academy. He knew what lied inside, but it did not matter. He had a job to do.

Shuffling a Deck into his Duel Disk, he raised his arm, yet again stating the qualifications to gain entry to the school.

"Forty cards right? I have em all right here!" he shouted.

The scanner inside the gate quickly confirmed his words, and after activating his Duel Disk in the same manner it had activated Chazz's once before, the door opened, granting the boy entry.

The sight he stumbled upon however, was not what he expected it to be.

Hordes of students lay scattered about the cold ground, their faces twisted in all kinds of emotions as hideous sounds of snoring and groaning filled the area. Only a lone student stood tall above them all, and it didn't take Konami long to realize just who it was.

"Chazz." He acknowledged, stepping forward into the Academy grounds as the gate closed behind him.

"Red Hat!" the former Obelisk replied with a nasty snarl. "You have some nerve, coming back here after all you did!"

Chazz approached the boy swiftly, closing the gap between them in an instant before grabbing Konami by the collar and lifting him off the ground.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pummel you to the ground right now!" Chazz shouted, his eyes alit with rage and righteous fury.

"Chazz…" Konami said softly, in surprise. "You make it sound like I didn't come bearing gifts."

"Gifts?" Chazz asked incredulously, his hold on Konami tightening ever so slightly. "What kind of gifts?!"

"If you let me down maybe you'll find out." Konami retorted, staring back at Chazz blankly.

With a snarl, Chazz shoved Konami away, letting the boy crash onto the dirt roughly. "Yeah, I got it! Now show me what this "gift" of yours is! It better not be some kind of slacker spell, Red Hat, or you'll have the Chazz deal with!"

"Still referring to yourself in the third person I see." Konami mused, dusting himself off while rising back to his feet. "Whatever. You don't have anything to worry about. I'm sure that what I brought you will make you more than happy."

Slowly, he reached into the folds of his pockets, grabbing the cards the headmaster had given him just before he left. He tossed them to Chazz quickly.

"A gift, from me to you." He said simply. _"And the headmaster, but Chazz doesn't need to know that."_

"Huh? Cards?!" Chazz grunted, grabbing the set quickly. "Well they better be good- whoa… heh. Not bad Red Hat. Not bad at all! I guess you aren't a _complete_ waste of space after all!"

"You like them?" Konami asked.

"Hmph! That's no concern of yours!" Chazz glowered. "Still, I think I'll be holding onto these for a while. Who knows what scum like you would do with them. They deserve a _real_ elite to tag around with."

"_Like me boss?!"_ Ojama Yellow asked, appearing beside Chazz with hearts in his eyes.

"No, not like you!" Chazz roared, swiping the creature away swiftly. "You're lucky I can't just throw you away!"

"You shouldn't. That card may end up helping you more than you know." Konami said. "Besides, I'm sure it has some use in your Deck. You just haven't found it yet." He added.

"Tch, like I need _you_ to tell me that!" Chazz glowered. "What are you even doing here anyway? Didn't you run off to that tower last night?! How in the hell did you wind up back out there?!"

"That's a secret." Konami said. "But… now I've confirmed it. Wisteria is here, and it won't go how she wants it to next time."

"Huh? Wisteria?" Chazz questioned. "That's right! That stupid butler did say something about her didn't he?!"

"Yeah…" Konami confirmed, nodding his head once. "I'm going after them."

"Oh no you don't!" Chazz scowled. "You still have to answer to me about abandoning me last time! If you think just a few good cards are enough to make up for what you did, you've got another thing coming!"

"…She stole my card." Konami thought aloud, referring to the accursed Wisteria. "…and then threw me out a window." he tightened his fists in a frustrated gesture. "Curse you, Wisteria. Are there _no_ limits to your evil?"

"Hah?" Chazz asked incredulously. "What in the world are you going on about now?"

"She's the reason for Kami's situation as well." Konami said. "The orchestrator behind everything… it was her. She did it all, Chazz."

Chazz squinted, his questions growing by the second. Kami? What did she have to do with this?

"Wait. You're talking about _that_ aren't you?!" Chazz accused. "You mean she's the reason you came all the way out here? That _Wisteria_ was the one behind it all? You're joking."

"I wish I was." Konami retorted. "But regardless of what you think, Chazz, I know it's true. She revealed it all to me, the day she left Duel Academy."

"Hmph, whatever. I could care less about that!" Chazz snapped. "What _does_ matter, is how you're going to make up for ditching me here last night!"

"Were the cards you received not enough?" Konami asked.

"Don't joke around!" Chazz roared. "The Chazz can't be bought off with a few pricey cards! You'll have to do better than that, Red Hat!"

He pointed at the boy, only to find him long gone. His eyes widening in surprise, Chazz reeled about, only to spot Konami yet again approaching the tower overlooking the Academy.

"What the-? You can't just ignore me like that!" Chazz snarled.

"Then keep up." Konami said quietly. "Despite how it looks, I didn't come here to humor you, Chazz. I have things to do, and no matter what happens, I _will_ see them through to the end!"

The Princeton growled. It was evident that Konami had no intention of bowing to his whims, but in hindsight, Chazz supposed he should have expected that to begin with. Konami had always been a wildcard, even among the Slifers, from the very second he'd defeated Bastion back at Duel Academy. The teen slowly lowered his arms, content to just glare at the boy from afar.

"Fine then," he muttered after a moment, "but the Chazz is coming along too! I'll admit I'm a little curious about this situation myself, but don't think for a second that this means we're friends! As far as I'm concerned, you're just another Slifer Slacker like that scum Jaden, so if anyone asks, you're accompanying me! Got that?!"

"Fine." Konami shrugged. "It's still better than being a worm. Now, come on. We have a lot of floors to climb… and Wisteria won't wait long."

**-GX-**

**Konami and Chazz entered the Tower, ignoring the many sleeping bodies around them.**

**-GX-**

"So this is what the inside looks like." Chazz said upon stepping into the tower's lobby. "Well, at least it's better looking than the dump outside. My place is still better though."

"Like that makeshift boat you made to get us here?" Konami asked. "Sorry if I'm a bit skeptical."

"You shut up! I could have used the Princeton boat if I wanted to!" Chazz complained, "But I wanted to do things on my own for once! A shame, since _someone_ decided to jump on at the last moment and ruin that plan!"

"…There were a lot more holes in that plan of yours than just my arrival, Chazz." Konami retorted. "The sooner you accept that, the better off you'll be... as a person, and as a Duelist."

"Tch, whatever. Like I need to take advice from a Slifer Slacker anyway!" Chazz complained, folding his arms impatiently while glancing around the area. "Where are all the people anyway? Don't tell me the staff was composed of those losers outside?"

"You never did explain that anyway." Konami inquired. "All those sleeping bodies that were on the ground… was that your doing?"

"Heh, who do you think I am?" Chazz sniffed. "It was sleeping gas, obviously. That old butler was the one responsible! When I get my hands on him…!"

"You'll throttle him like you did me?" Konami asked with a raised brow. "Spare me, Chazz. Besides…" he muttered, turning his gaze toward the shaded stairs in the distance. "It looks like we have a visitor."

"On the contrary." a young voice greeted from the shadows of the stairwell. "In this case, it is you, who are the visitors. I however, am not."

The figure slowly stepped from the shadows, revealing himself to the Duel Academy Duo.

He was a dark-haired boy with a ponytail, and his form was clad in a green and white North Academy Uniform that Konami could only suspect had been specially tailored, much like his own. More importantly however, were the size of his eyebrows, which stretched far beyond the normal humans to join with the hair falling down beside his ears.

The young man chuckled at the blank gazes on his "guest's" faces, grabbing several objects from the wall beside him before moving to address them politely.

"My name is Lucien Grimley, a student here at North Academy! If you plan on climbing this tower, I'm afraid you're gonna have to get past me to do it! Lady's orders. No one's allowed past that point without her permission! Something that I'm certain you two don't have!"

"How can you be sure?" Konami questioned.

"Heh…" Lucien Grimley smirked, before revealing a small purple W christened beneath the North Academy logo on his jacket. "It's your lack of a sign of course! Anyone bearing this symbol is proven to have gained the lady's favor! And since neither of you two have one… I'm gonna have to ask you to leave!"

"Sorry, but we're not going anywhere!" Chazz snapped. "And it'll take more than some worthless lapdog to move us- er, me!"

"W-Worthless?!" Lucien gasped, staggering back at the term.

"That's right. A worthless lapdog. Want a bone?" Chazz asked. "Heh, the lady's favor… who does she think she is?! The only person whose favor is important around here is mine, Chazz Princeton!"

"You would go against Wisteria? The strongest of us?" Lucien asked in surprise. "But she even beat Czar…"

"Newsflash nerd," Chazz smirked, eager to show off his superiority wherever he could. "So did I."

"You did?" Konami asked.

"Heh, that's right! Not that you'd know!" Chazz glowered, folding his arms. "There was nothing special about that Zoa-using clown! All you need to know is that he overstepped his bounds, and the "Prince" had his day!"

"Impossible…! To think that Czar would be beaten as well!" Lucien whispered to himself quietly. "No…! Even if it's true… I must stand firm! I won't fall to the likes of you!"

He slid one of the objects he'd grabbed from the wall onto his forearm, revealing it to be a slightly modified Duel Disk of the Fujiwara Group.

"Heh, you challenging me to a Duel?" Chazz asked.

"That's right! As my duty as the first of two guardians of Lady Wisteria, I must defeat all who enter this place!" Lucien shouted.

"Lame." Konami murmured. "She even has the students calling her Lady… reminds me of the Kami fans back at Duel Academy…"

"Who cares?" Chazz asked. "It'll end the same." He raised his Duel Disk, brushing past Konami quickly to face the boy before them. "Looks like it's your lucky day, Grimley! Because you're about to get a front row seat to the main attraction, _The Chazz_!"

"So you say, but I'm afraid I'll be the one to be victorious today!" Lucien shot back.

Konami watched the two stare each other down quietly. It seemed as though Chazz was content to take over Dueling… at least for the time being. Well, Konami figured that that was fine too. It spared him from having to waste time on the lower floors himself… and if there was supposedly only one other person blocking the way to Wisteria…

He turned, quickly bypassing the pair and rushing up the steps. Chazz could handle this "Lucien Grimley" fellow. Konami though… he would take the rest.

"It seems your friend has left." Lucien noticed, his gaze locked on Chazz's. "Not that it matters. He'll lose just like all the others who tried to face the butler."

"The butler? You mean that old geezer who knocked everyone out earlier?" Chazz inquired. "So _he's_ the other guy stalking around here huh? Well then, I guess I should hurry up and deal with you so I can pay him a visit, huh?"

"Finish me off? You're welcome to try!" Lucien exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with sinister motives. "Too bad for you, Lady Wisteria's counting on me! I can't possibly lose right now!"

"Enough talk. It's time to put your money where your mouth is!" Chazz shouted.

The two took a step forward, preparing themselves for battle. Then…

"DUEL!"

**-DUEL-**

**CHAZZ VS. LUCIEN**

**CHAZZ – 4000 LP**

**LUCIEN – 4000 LP**

"As per her rules, the Challenger goes first!" Lucien exclaimed, staring at Chazz as though his victory were already determined."

"Fine by me!" Chazz replied. "It's my move then, and I'll start with a Draw!"

**TURN ONE – CHAZZ**

"I play Flying Kamakiri # 1 in Attack Mode!" Chazz shouted, placing the effect monster's card onto his Duel Disk gently.

In a whirl of wind a large, green insect with beady orange eyes appeared, buzzing about loudly before taking its place on Chazz's side of the Field. Lucien chuckled lightly at the notion.

Flying Kamakiri # 1 – (WIND/Insect) – LV4 – (1400/900)

"How fitting," he said. "An insect summoned by an insect!"

"What'd you say about me?!" Chazz snapped, clenching his hand in rage at the boy's words. "The Princeton is no mere, _insect_, I assure you! Know what? Never mind. It'll just make it all the sweeter once I completely trounce you in this Duel! No one mocks Chazz Princeton and gets away with it! I'll play two face-downs and end my Turn!"

Again, Lucien laughed. "Whatever you say, "Prince." You can say you'll trounce me all you like, but I'm afraid there's only room for one royal family around here, and it's not yours! My move, Draw!"

**TURN TWO – LUCIEN**

"I summon Des Feral Imp to the Field!" Lucien stated right off the bat, quickly placing the card on his left-handed Duel Disk.

A fiendish growl echoed through the hall at the boy's words, and a large yet lean-looking reptile materialized onto the scene, snapping and glaring at everything in its sight. It curled its large, scaly hands into menacing fists, and roared.

Des Feral Imp – (DARK/Reptile) – LV4 – (1600/1800)

"Next… I think I'll play the Spell Mystical Space Typhoon! This'll destroy one Spell or Trap on the Field, meaning your left face-down card is automatically destroyed!"

Chazz grimaced, wincing as a swift wind suddenly swept through the Field, destroying his face-down Ring of Defense. He watched the lone card fall into his Graveyard before clucking his tongue in annoyance. So much for that strategy… still, it only served to further his desire to see his new one through! His look of annoyance soon changed to a satisfied smirk, much to Lucien's confusion. Still, Wisteria's self-proclaimed guard saw no reason to fear.

"Hmph! You smile like you've won, but as far as I can tell, I'm about to be in the lead!" he shouted, throwing his free hand forward in glee. "Des Feral Imp, destroy that overgrown maggot of his! Des Blow!"

The hulking reptile shrieked at the command, its fists growing ever larger as it charged across the room, locking the Flying Kamakiri in its sights. With a vicious blow, Lucien's Reptile clawed through Chazz's insect, resulting in a shocking explosion that engulfed Chazz whole. The former Obelisk smirked at the debris, though he raised his arm to shield himself from the worst of the attack.

**CHAZZ – 3800 LP**

**LUCIEN – 4000 LP**

"Sorry, but the joke's on you!" Chazz laughed. "You just activated my Kamakiri's effect! When it's destroyed by battle with an opponent's monster and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one WIND monster with Fifteen-Hundred or less Attack from my Deck in Attack Position! And the card I choose is… my brand new Armed Dragon of the Third Level!"

A soft roar echoed through the room, and in response to Chazz's words, a small armored dragon with yellow skin appeared. It glanced about its surroundings curiously, before turning its lime-green eyes toward Lucien's snarling Des Feral Imp.

Armed Dragon LV 3 – (WIND/Dragon) – LV3 – (1200/900)

"Hah!" Lucien laughed. "Don't tell me _that_ thing is your big plan? It's no more than a child! What's the mighty _Prince_ going to do with such a weak card?"

"Win, that's what!" Chazz said. "Because you see, I've learned something after being dumped here on North Academy!"

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Sometimes, life likes to throw you all kinds of curveballs. But even when it seems that nothing's going your way, you just have to tough it out! Yeah, that's right!" Chazz repeated, as if convincing himself more than anything. "When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade! And I'm about to have quite a few glasses, because it's my turn now! Draw!"

**TURN THREE – CHAZZ**

"And since it's now my move… that means I can activate my Level Three Armed Dragon's special ability!" Chazz grinned.

Lucien's eyes widened at the revelation. "What?"

"Hmph, that's right, during my Standby Phase, I can send this little weakling to the Graveyard to bust out something even more powerful!" Chazz shouted, "That is, of course, its evolution! The Armed Dragon of the Fifth Level!"

The young Armed Dragon glanced upward at Chazz's words, its beady eyes growing blank for a brief instant. Suddenly, a fierce wind surrounded its body, and it cried out as if in pain before being replaced by something stronger… and larger.

The whirlwind soon faded, revealing a large, obese red dragon armed to the teeth with weapons in the form of defensive attachments. Spikes and drills protruded from its knees and stomach, and its formerly lime colored eyes had turned a sinister emerald green. It set its forepaws down upon the earth of the hallway… and roared.

Armed Dragon LV 5 – (WIND/Dragon) – LV5 – (2400/1700)

"W-What?!" Lucien gawked in surprise. "Twenty-Four Hundred Attack Points?!"

"Hmph, not so weak now is he?" Chazz asked snidely. "And it's about to get worse for you, because this Armed Dragon has an effect too! When I discard a monster from my hand, I can target and destroy one monster you control that has Attack Points equal to or less than the Attack Points of the monster I sent. Too bad for you, your Des Feral Imp has nowhere near the Attack Points of the Despair from the Dark I'm now sending to the Grave!"

Chazz revealed the Twenty-Eight Hundred Attack Point monster in his hand with a smirk, before sliding it into his Graveyard slot proudly. Lucien could only gawk further at the revelation, realizing that it was true; his Des Feral Imp only had Sixteen-Hundred Attack Points after all!

"H-Hold on now Chazz!" the boy exclaimed, seemingly willing to talk things out.

"No way! The Chazz waits for no man!" the elite Duelist exclaimed, throwing his hand forward viciously. "Go Armed Dragon! Show that measly Reptile the difference between it and a _real_ death dealer! Static Orb Snarl!"

The red dragon huffed, as if annoyed by Chazz's command. Glaring at the Des Feral Imp angrily, it opened its jaws, the armor on its back lighting up to produce an electrical ball of light that soon leapt from the creature's mouth. Lucien's Imp cried out as the orb engulfed it whole, resulting in a second booming explosion that covered the hallway. Lucien coughed through the dust, his eyes squinted tight as he heard Chazz's mocking laugh.

"And that's not even the best part!" the former Obelisk continued, his eyes gleaming victoriously. "Because now that you're defenseless… my Armed Dragon can attack you directly!"

Lucien's eyes grew wide at the declaration, and as the smoke cleared, he cried out upon finding the large dragon inches away from him. Chazz's decision was swift.

"Go Armed Dragon! Hit him hard with your Armed Punisher!" he roared, and his dragon complied.

With a large snarl, the red Armed Dragon lifted its claw, raking it across Lucien's chest roughly. The boy knew the damage was fake, but he still flew back in surprise, the mental pressure of feeling his Life Points drop more than enough to wound him.

**CHAZZ – 3800 LP**

**LUCIEN – 1600 LP**

"I'm… still good!" Lucien decided after a moment, attempting to crawl back to his feet.

"Sorry, but I don't think you are!" Chazz interrupted, his smirk ever present as he gazed down upon his wounded foe. "Because I still have one more trick up my sleeve, and this one… is a real blast!"

"W-What?"

"You may have destroyed my Ring of _Defense_ earlier," Chazz explained, gesturing to his face-down card. "But I still have my Ring of _Destruction_!"

"?!"

"And I'm activating it right now!" Chazz exclaimed, throwing his hand up proudly in unison with the rising card.

Immediately, a glowing collar snapped around his Armed Dragon's neck, stunning Lucien and prompting him to backpedal swiftly.

"W-Wait a moment! What's all this?!"

"Ring of Destruction's effect activates! When it's used, I can destroy one face-up monster on the Field," Chazz revealed, "and then, we both take damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points! Since my Armed Dragon Level Five has Twenty-Four Hundred Attack Points… that means that you're finished Grimley!"

Lucien's eyes widened even further, and Chazz could've sworn that they would have bulged if they'd gone any wider.

"Say it with me now," the Obelisk said instead with a smirk. "You. Go. Bye. Bye."

And Armed Dragon exploded.

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

**END**


	19. Vain X Reign

And Armed Dragon exploded.

Fire ruled the battlefield as wisps of smoke and debris scattered about, and in a swift motion, Lucien raised his arms to shield himself. Of course, while his reaction did save him from any physical damage, the motion did little to prevent his Life Points from dropping alongside Chazz's, and so, with a vile scream, Lucien fell to the ground just as the counter hit zero.

**CHAZZ – 1400 LP**

**LUCIEN – 0 LP**

The Princeton lowered his Duel Disk knowing full well the battle was already over. Smirking as his blue coat billowed in the wake of his devastating combo, he gazed upon Lucien uncaringly, his eyes reflecting the same arrogance that had landed him in North Academy to begin with.

"It's over!" he said. "And once again, the Princeton stands tall!" he glanced at the silent Lucien, a brow raising itself in curiosity at the boy's stance. "What's the matter? Nothing to say now that I beat you? You sure were talking smack a while ago! Glad to see you know your place!"

Lucien laughed to himself quietly, earning Chazz's ire.

"What's that?! What are you laughing about over there?!" Chazz growled, closing the distance between them swiftly to grab the boy by the collar and heave him to his feet. "I won't be made a fool of! Especially not by you!"

"Sorry…" Lucien apologized, a wry smile coming onto his face at Chazz's actions. "I just… never expected it. How even you… the _failure_ Princeton… are a better Duelist than me…"

Chazz grimaced at the term, and quickly shoved Lucien away, tossing him onto the floor with brute force.

"Shut it! I don't need to hear that! _Especially_ not from someone even worse off than me!" Chazz snapped.

He stalked past the downed Duelist, shooting him a final glare before continuing on his way.

"You don't even know how to use your cards right, idiot." Chazz muttered on his way out.

He entered the room with the stairs, and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**A****rc Two – Chapter Nine**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

The muffled sound of an explosion echoed throughout the halls, and for the briefest of moments, Konami Kodo paused. Had the sound been borne from the results of Chazz's Duel far below, or was it the mechanism of a far greater threat?

Konami didn't know.

Frowning as the sound faded, Konami turned toward the dimly lit corridor before him, and walked. He recognized some of the halls, having seen them during his brief parlay with Wisteria the night before. Of course, the momentary glance he'd been given did little to help him forge a map from his memory. Already he knew he was lost, doomed to scour the many corridors in hope that one of the doorways would lead to his target.

It was only a matter of time; or so he believed. In some ways, he was correct. Though unbeknownst to Konami at the time, Wisteria's prized butler, Masakazu, was not far from his location. Upon receiving his lovely "gift" from the _young lady_, Masakazu had immediately taken to his post, as if knowing that eventually, one would make the climb to challenge him. Of course, what the man failed to realize was that Konami had climbed past once before, using the outer walls as a stepping stone for his ascension.

Unfortunately for our hero, and fortunately for the butler however, Konami's fingers were still far too sore to scale the walls in such a way again. Numb from the prior damage they'd received, Konami knew that such an attempt would only end in failure, and with a second drop from the higher floors of the building. It was not an experience he wanted to endure again, especially when he couldn't be certain that Yata-Garasu would save him a second time.

And so it was that their destinies were set to meet once more.

Two Duelists, two paths, two missions.

But only one could stand, and just as Kaibaman said in his comics… one would fall, as well.

Konami pushed forward, stepping inside a large, circular room with a curious expression on his face.

"Not here either." he mumbled to himself, scanning the room's contents quickly. "I'll tell you one thing, Wisteria sure knows how to decorate a tower. I wonder… does her house look like this too?"

It was a statement meant to alleviate the stress he felt. If anything, Wisteria's tower was little more than a maze, filled to the brim with roundabouts and dead ends that forced any who didn't know its contents by heart to backtrack multiple times. Truly, it was amazing that Konami had gotten as far as he did. Perhaps his memory of what Wisteria had shown him wasn't as bad as he thought…?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden reply to his earlier comment.

"Well, I'm afraid that a scoundrel like yourself will never find out!"

Jumping slightly in surprise, Konami turned to face his addresser. Due to the dim lighting, it was hard to make out specifically who had spoken, but the stance and seemingly well-dressed silhouette gave Konami his suspicions.

"You're…. Wisteria's butler! That snobby old man… Masakazu, aren't you!?" the boy accused, taking several steps toward the silhouette angrily.

While it may have been some time ago, Konami still remembered the swift beating he'd been given, and though he had been far too preoccupied with the thought of Wisteria to settle things earlier, his current position was perfect in settling things with a rematch.

The flip of a switch renewed the dim lights with life, and confirmed Konami's thoughts. The man _was_ Masakazu, and he was dressed to the teeth in fashionable butler wear.

Whatever that was.

Scowling, the man too approached Konami, his own expression mirroring the boy's own.

"I knew I'd find you scurrying about around here," the man sniffed, "like a rat!"

"The only rats around here are you and your "Quean" of a master!" Konami insulted. "Tell me, does she flirt shamelessly with _every_ boy she meets, or is it just me?"

"Y-You!" Masakazu growled, finally catching on to the meaning of Konami's words. "How _dare_ you! The young lady is no more a hussy than you are a Prince, and I'll have you pay for showing such disrespect!"

He swatted his cane angrily, allowing its tip to flick against the floor loudly before rushing forward, intent on pounding Konami as he had once before. Unlike last time however, Konami was prepared.

The two charged toward one another, Duel Disk and Cane poised for deadly strikes. Masakazu struck out with his own weapon, only to find he had fallen for Konami's ploy. At the last possible moment Konami had dropped down, falling into a slide that knocked the butler's feet out from under him. Masakazu tripped to the floor in pain, only to watch and curse as Konami rose up from behind him.

"You may have been able to catch me off guard last time," Konami explained with a mild smile, "but don't think you can take on someone younger than you so easily. Now then…"

Taking a page from Chazz's book, Konami turned, grabbing the man by the scruff of his neck and heaving him to his knees.

"Where can I find Wisteria?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in an attempt to seem far more intimidating than his wounded body was.

"Hmph. As if I'd answer the questions of a brute like you!" Masakazu spat, swatting Konami's hands away.

Rising back to his full height, the man leapt back, distancing himself from the Slifer and retrieving his fallen cane.

"I may be old, but my skills are still in their prime!" the man explained. "If you truly wish to discern the young lady's location, you'll have to go through me, in a method that _I_ deem suitable!"

Konami tsk'd, unamused at the man's words. Given that his previous methods had been unrewarding however, he knew that he had little choice.

"A Gentleman's game, huh…?" he asked warily, adjusting his stance to match his thoughts.

Anyone who was aligned with Wisteria couldn't be trusted, and Konami wouldn't have put it past Masakazu to have some kind of trick up his sleeve. He couldn't have been Wisteria's butler for nothing, after all.

Chuckling, the butler twirled his cane about before tapping it gently onto the floor twice. The vibrations rang throughout the room loudly, and suddenly, the floor began to give way. Konami stumbled back in surprise, quickly leaping to one side as the floor between his feet began to part, revealing a large, in-built stadium that had resided below. Masakazu smirked all the way, his position not at all threatened by the stadium's emergence.

"Hmph, how foolish!" the man exclaimed, grinning at Konami's sudden motion. "Don't tell me that all that bravado earlier was for show? Fear not! Gentlemen such as myself have no need for tricks and disguises! We battle on fair ground, where our opponent can see us! And that's why… we'll be settling our dispute through a game that _everyone_ knows! Duel Monsters!"

"Of course," Konami realized, sighing at how he thought it'd end any other way.

With a loud grind the rising arena came to a stop, allowing both Konami and Masakazu to enter its fold. Immediately Konami could tell that it was made out of different material. Unlike the smooth, almost wooden texture that the rest of the tower's interior seemed to be made of, the arena he stood on was obviously metal, complete with a sleek shine that made it look almost state-of-the-art.

It was nearly something one might expect to see in the halls of Kaibacorp.

"Even so," Konami said finally, taking slow steps toward the arena's center, "I'm surprised you're giving me this chance at all! With your demeanor, I half expected you to deny me any chance of dueling you for the answer."

"Don't misunderstand!" Masakazu scowled. "The only reason I've decided to settle things this way is because I know there's _no _way I can lose! No matter how good you may be, the fact remains scoundrel is that I'm the second best Duelist at North Academy, second only to Wisteria herself!"

"Well then, it looks like you're about to be third!" Konami retorted with a growing grin. "Or fourth, depending on how Chazz is doing with that other guard of yours!"

Masakazu's eyes narrowed at the thought of the first floor guardian. Shaking his head in disgust, the man scowled, and formulated a swift reply. "Lucien is nothing more than a bumbling fool!" Masakazu explained, wrinkling his nose as he spoke. "Can you believe he actually thought he'd garnered the young lady's favor? As if she would ever spend time with scum like him!"

Konami smirked. "Well, she spent time with me, didn't she? And don't you regard me as scum, just like you claim Lucien is? Gentlemen shouldn't be hypocrites, you know."

Masakazu grimaced at the reminder. "What the young lady did with you is beside the point, but you can rest assured that it won't be happening again!" he quickly gestured around them, referring to the arena now surrounding them before continuing to speak. "We now stand in the greatest arena North Academy has to offer, a fitting place for an elite such as I to remind scum like you of their position! As per North Academy's rules, we shall be partaking in an Ante Duel! Whatever prized possessions the loser owns, shall be forfeit, along with any sense of individuality they may maintain in these icy plains!"

Konami felt his fists tighten. An Ante Duel. As Masakazu had explained, it was a battle of extreme risk, were one risked their very cards on the outcome of the game. Konami's eyes narrowed as he determined whether or not to accept the butler's terms, when a sudden thought hit him.

"_I see!"_ he exclaimed mentally, his eyes widening in realization. _"That's why Wisteria must have taken my Tyrant Dragon earlier! She was proclaiming her dominion over me! The fact that I was nothing more than a pawn to be used as she pleased! Unfortunately for her, I didn't consider myself a student of North Academy when we first dueled within this tower… and that's why, I can still challenge her to a rematch! But if I'm going to do that, then first I'll have to get past this butler of hers, no matter what!"_

"Fine! I'll accept!" he shouted heatedly, shuffling his Deck. "So, which of us is going to go first? Me, or you?"

"That I'm afraid…" Masakazu chuckled, "is up to the arena itself!"

He tapped his cane on the arena floor, prompting a large hologram of a golden coin to appear in its center. It began spinning wildly between the two before flipping upward, only to fall back down and reveal the face of Masakazu.

"Well then, it seems _I'll_ be going first!" the butler smirked, before grabbing a Duel Disk from the arena wall. "Fitting, I suppose. As the rich are destined to come first in all things!"

"Aren't you just a butler?" Konami asked curiously.

"That's enough out of you!" Masakazu retorted. "The stage is set, and the demands are made! It's time to battle now, so En Garde, worm!"

**DUEL**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 4000 LP**

"It's my turn now!" Masakazu said, assuming the position and grabbing a card from the top of his Deck. "Draw!"

**TURN ONE – MASAKAZU**

"To begin, I shall set a monster in Defense Position! Since it's face-down, you have no idea what it is!" Masakazu began, sliding a Duel Monsters card onto a monster slot secretively.

"Yeah… that's kind of the point of setting cards." Konami agreed. "But even if it is face-down, with it only being the first turn that card can't be anything _too_ dangerous!"

"You won't found out yet, because I'm also laying three cards face-down in my backrow as well!" Masakazu explained. "Now I have three cards on the Field, while you have _none_!"

"Oh really? Then I guess we'll just have to rectify that!" Konami countered. "It's my move! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"Not so fast, boy! I activate one of my face-down cards!" Masakazu interrupted. "The Trap Conscription!"

Konami paused as a large purple card carrying the artwork of a soldier saluting an ill-begotten king rose from the floor. Masakazu chuckled at its appearance, before continuing on to explain just what it did.

"Conscription allows me to pick up the top card of my opponent's Deck! Then, if the card that was picked up can be Normal Summoned… I can Special Summon it to my side of the Field! Of course, such power comes with a downside as well! If the card can't be Normal Summoned… then it'll wind up in your hand instead!"

"Quite the gamble!" Konami exclaimed.

"Indeed! Now then, it's time to see if you're truly prepared to risk it all!" Masakazu exclaimed. "I raise the top card of your Deck… and reveal…!"

The top card of Konami's Deck lifted upward, revealing none other than Yata-Garasu.

"Heh, looks like you know when to show up after all!" Konami grinned, adding the card to his hand before addressing Masakazu. "In case you didn't know, Spirit Monsters like Yata-Garasu can't be Special Summoned. In other words, as per your Conscription's effect, I get to add him to my hand instead!"

"Tsk!" Masakazu grimaced. "Fine! Do as you please! It doesn't matter! I wouldn't want to waste my time wielding such a weak monster anyway!"

"I'll admit that he may not have the best of stats, but his effect more than makes up for it!" Konami countered. "But that's beside the point! As you already know, it's my move, and I'll kick it off with this! The monster Goggle Golem, in Attack Position!"

In a flash of light, a bulky, muscular figure appeared, its stony physique free for all to see, save for the dark trousers wrapped around its legs. It slammed its fists together powerfully, the noise echoing throughout the arena before it turned to gaze upon its foe's Field critically.

Goggle Golem – (EARTH/Rock/Gemini) – LV4 – (1500/500)

"Now, it's time we knocked a few heads together!" Konami shouted, pointing toward the butler's face-down monster. "Let's go, Goggle Golem! Attack that monster, TK!"

The muscular fighter roared, smashing his fists together loudly before charging toward the opposition. Running forward like a rampaging rhino, Goggle Golem raised its arm, preparing to unleash a devastating blow only to find himself interrupted.

"What a shame! I'm afraid the card you've attacked is my Oppressed People card!" Masakazu revealed, flipping his attacked monster face-up. In a flurry of light, a group of small, weak looking humanoids appeared on the Field, their bodies clumped together defensively as they stared toward Konami's monster fearfully.

Oppressed People – (WATER/Aqua) – LV1 – (400/2000)

Goggle Golem's fist smashed against their being, but their bodies held firm. Years of oppression and enduring the local Tyrant had taught them how to defend themselves, and as a result, Goggle Golem's attack was just not strong enough to defeat them. In fact…

Goggle Golem cried out, leaping back to Konami's side of the Field while gripping its fist in pain. Konami too, winced, knowing full well what happened when a monster attacked a being whose Defense Points were higher than its Attack.

**KONAMI – 3500 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 4000 LP**

"It seems I've humbled your Goggle Golem!" Masakazu exclaimed with a smirk. "It's just not strong enough to outdo my great defender it seems!"

"Maybe not, but just because you know how to defend doesn't mean you know how to attack as well!" Konami replied. "Since I've already attacked this time round I can't do anything else though, so just go ahead and call it a turn!"

"Then it's time for the oppressed to become the oppressor!" Masakazu said. "My Turn now. I draw!"

**TURN THREE – MASAKAZU**

"To begin, I shall summon this card!" Masakazu said, revealing the monster card in his hand. "When the oppressed are filled with confusion and hate, the King sows fear among the crowd! Behold now, the next step of the Revolution - People Running About!"

A second horde of people appeared on the Field at the butler's words, their eyes wide in despair and hopelessness.

People Running About – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV2 – (600/600)

"People Running About? Sounds a lot like how the students at Duel Academy were after Wisteria left!" Konami noted.

"Quite." Masakazu agreed despite himself. "Of course, these People aren't the only ones I'm calling to the Field! Though through the use of my next card, I'm sure you'll recognize what I will! Watch now, as I make use of a second Trap, the same as the first! The power of Conscription activates!" Masakazu shouted, revealing the other face-down card to be the same as the first he'd used. "Yet again, we'll raise the top card of your Deck to see just what you have!"

Konami grimaced, watching as the top card of his Deck yet again rose to reveal itself. Mirage Dragon. Cursing, Konami watched as the card shot from his Deck, flying into the butler's greedy hands.

"Ho…? Quite an interesting card you have here," Masakazu admitted, "but… now it'll serve someone truly worthy of its power! Come forth, Mirage Dragon!"

He slammed the card onto his Duel Disk, a gleaming light erupting from the arena floor as the gold, serpentine-like dragon appeared in a wave of mist.

Mirage Dragon – (LIGHT/Dragon) – LV4 – (1600/600)

"Now then, Mirage Dragon! Attack your former master's Goggle Golem! Quickly! Do it now!" Masakazu shouted, gesturing toward the muscular giant gently.

Mirage Dragon snarled at the command, and with a loud roar lunged at Goggle Golem, clamping its jaws down upon the being's throat. Unable to withstand the attack, Goggle Golem shattered, and its life essence scattered across the battlefield. Konami cried out upon feeling the shards wash over him, the power of his taken Mirage Dragon inflicting damage upon him.

**KONAMI – 3400 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 4000 LP**

"And I hope you don't think the battle ends there, scum!" the butler continued. "I still have two more monsters to attack you with, in case you've forgotten, and I plan to do just that! Go, Oppressed People, People Running About! Obey your King and strike down our foe! _Rallying Strike!_"

The two crowds' eyes gleamed at the command, and their backs suddenly straightened as they merged together to form a giant mob. Without a word, they charged across the Field, their combined mass more than enough to overwhelm Konami completely. The boy cried out once more as the crowd descended upon him, and a giant explosion erupted from his being.

**KONAMI – 2400 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 4000 LP**

"Gah! You've gotta be joking!" Konami said, shielding himself through the smoke. "Another hit like that and I'm done for!"

"That's right! Do you see now how foolish it was of you to challenge me?!" Masakazu asked. "With the power the young lady has given me, I am all but invincible! Her Ultimate Guardian! None shall pass without my say-so, and know that you will never have it!"

Konami smiled wryly at the words. "Well, now you're just getting cocky. There's no way to know whether or not I'll get your say-so until the Duel's over. That's the way things work around here, right?"

Narrowing his eyes at Konami's tone, the butler made to retort. "Don't be ridiculous! Someone gullible enough to fall for the young lady's schemes will never have my approval, especially one as rowdy an insubordinate as you! Given that you can't even defeat my monsters, you had best give up now! I _may_ even forgive your earlier slight!"

"Don't count on it!" Konami replied. "Besides, while your monsters may be able to defend themselves well and pack a punch while they're together, all I have to do is knock em' down one by one and you'll be out for the count! Luckily for me, I have just the card to do it! My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

"I summon…" Konami began, grabbing the chosen card in his hand. "Fossil Tusker, in Attack Position!"

The Field roared and warped as the large skeleton of an extinct mammoth appeared on Konami's side. Moving despite its "condition", the skeletal being had no problem roaring, regardless of its lack of vocal chords.

Fossil Tusker – (EARTH/Rock) – LV4 – (1800/0)

"Eighteen Hundred…? It's stronger than Mirage Dragon!" Masakazu shouted.

"That's right!" Konami said, "And that means it's also stronger than both of your "People" cards! Which means… that it'll be child's play for it to wipe one of them out! Go, Fossil Tusker! Attack his Oppressed People! Put them out of their misery!"

The skeletal mammoth roared, its twin tusks glowing with otherworldly power as it suddenly ran forward, tearing through the area with ease. With a large, powerful crash it slammed its tusks into the crowd, sending the Oppressed People flying in different directions. Each and every person shattered upon collision with an object, leaving Masakazu to take a brutal blow himself.

**KONAMI – 2400 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 2600 LP**

"I-Impossible…! I was wounded…" the butler spoke furiously. "…by this scoundrel?!"

"And it's not over yet!" Konami continued. "Due to Fossil Tusker's effect, whenever he destroys a monster in battle, you take an additional Four-Hundred Points of Damage!"

"No!" Masakazu shouted as the mammoth appeared before him once more.

"Get him good!"

Fossil Tusker complied, tossing its head upward in an attempt to impale the man with its tusks. Masakazu barely avoided the motion, though the damage was done.

**KONAMI – 2400 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 2200 LP**

"All's fair in Dueling," Konami smiled, "or so they say. You shouldn't get overconfident just because you beat me down a little early on. This Duel still has a ways to go, and I'll see to it that I'm the victor!"

Clenching his fist in outrage, Masakazu growled. "Hardly! You may have damaged me, _boy_, but don't think I'm as far out as you think I am! It's my Turn now! I draw!"

**TURN FIVE – MASAKAZU**

Masakazu winced for a moment, but Konami didn't catch it. No sooner had the butler recovered from the sudden pain did he grin at Konami, believing his victory all but assured.

"Well, scum, you may have made a comeback, but it's about time I put you in your place once more! And with this card… the power that Wisteria gave me… it will be far too easy to do so!"

A fire seemed to engulf his hand, and he raised his card to the sky elegantly.

"The People of the world flee in terror as the King descends! Its terrible wings rule the winds now!" the butler chanted. "Doom! Despair! Bring agony upon all who oppose my might! Let them know now, that the Revolution is over! Come forth – _Tyrant Dragon_!"

Before Konami could retort Masakazu placed the card on his Duel Disk. A terrible pillar of flame roared throughout the arena, singing the very floor itself as the great dragon appeared in a fit of rage. Konami and Masakazu were both blasted back by the being's pressure, the two of them failing to withstand its might for even a second.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2600)

"That's… Tyrant Dragon!" Konami exclaimed in both surprise and outrage. "Impossible…! Where did you get that card?!"

"Hmph!" Masakazu scowled. "As I said, it was a gift from the young lady herself! Not that it's any of _your_ business!"

"It is!" Konami shouted. "That card wasn't hers to give! It's mine!"

"Not anymore it's not!" Masakazu countered. "To the victor goes the spoils! _That_ is the rule of North Academy! But… if you insist on this card belonging to you, then just try to take it back! I'll have it strike you down with all it's might, and you'll see for yourself that you have no say in where it belongs!"

"Butler…!" Konami growled.

Masakazu paid no heed to Konami's warning. Gripping his cards tight and thrusting his hand forward, the man made to hit Konami hard.

"Let's go, Tyrant Dragon! It's time we showed this scoundrel how things truly work around here! Burn him alive, with your _Burst Breath_!"

"That's not what it's called!" Konami protested in outrage, but the monster cared not.

Bound by the rules of the game it was compelled to obey whoever owned its card, and for the moment, it was the butler. So, with steely eyes and an even more outraged growl, Tyrant Dragon opened its jaws, and _breathed_.

Konami cried out as flames quickly spread across his side of the Field, engulfing his Fossil Tusker whole. The mammoth roared out in pain as the flames grew taller and taller, and before long, Konami could no longer make out its form in the wall of fire his former ace had unleashed.

"Tusker!" he shouted, to no avail.

The flames surged forward, and the room exploded.

"Ah!"

**KONAMI – 1300 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 2200 LP**

"Gragh…!" Konami cursed, his body trembling from the heat of the flames. "Tyrant Dragon…! You're still as hot as ever, aren't ya pal…?"

Tyrant Dragon roared, turning its head to the ceiling while releasing another plume of flames.

"Yes, yes!" Masakazu cheered. "That's the way! Now, since you destroyed a monster, attack your former master once more and end this Duel!"

Tyrant Dragon hissed, returning to its stagnant position it'd taken before being forced to attack.

"What's this?! Why aren't you attacking?!" Masakazu shouted. "Is it a glitch with the system?!"

"Hardly." Konami smirked. "Tyrant Dragon won't attack… because it _can't_. It can only attack twice when the opponent still _controls_ another monster, not when it destroys one."

Masakazu's eyes widened at the revelation. "What?! That's how it was?!"

"Yeah, seems like you didn't pay any attention to the card's abilities at all!" Konami grinned, clutching his fist tightly. "And that means… I still have a chance to win this Duel!"

"Tsk! We'll see about that!" the butler retorted. "Even if I can't attack you again this Turn, Tyrant Dragon is still the most powerful card on the Field! Quite frankly, I don't see how you plan on turning this around!"

"You'll find out soon enough!" Konami explained cryptically, raising a hand to his Deck. "Now then, it's my Turn. Draw!"

**TURN SIX – KONAMI**

"_I said that… but Tyrant Dragon really is a devastating opponent. I know I'm not supposed to use _them_ for Duels like this… but I may not have a choice here!"_ Konami thought, glancing at his hand stoically. _"Unless… ah! Yeah, that'll work! Especially since I already have two in the Graveyard! Alright then, don't worry pal, you'll be back home soon enough!"_ Konami smirked to himself before glancing back at the Field.

"I'm activating an effect from my hand!" he declared, gesturing toward the holographic Graveyard spot quickly. "But first, I have to banish both my Goggle Golem and my Fossil Tusker you destroyed earlier from the game!"

The Graveyard glowed blue at Konami's words, and the two cards he declared vanished from sight.

"What?! What did you do that for?!"

"It's all part of the game," Konami exclaimed. "Because by doing that, I'm allowed to summon the monster that will break Tyrant Dragon free of its chains! Come on out… Gaia Plate, the Earth Giant!"

The Field glowed again as Konami placed the card on his Duel Disk, and even Tyrant Dragon glanced upward in mild curiosity. Quickly, several large rocks materialized, spiraling and flying around one another as they built a new creature from the ground up. It was a colossal figure, threatening to tower over even Tyrant Dragon as it neared completion. Before long, it was done, and a large, rocky titan stared down at Masakazu and his stolen dragon.

Gaia Plate the Earth Giant – (EARTH/Rock) – LV8 – (2800/1000)

"Ha! Twenty-Eight Hundred Attack Points?" Masakazu inquired. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you've missed your mark! Despite being a powerful creature, your Gaia Plate just doesn't have the manpower necessary to destroy _my_ Tyrant Dragon!"

"Doesn't it though?" Konami asked. "Gaia Plate may not have the manpower to defeat Tyrant Dragon in its current state, true, but thanks to his effect, that problem will be rectified soon enough! All I have to do… is have him attack Tyrant Dragon right here and now! Let's do it, Gaia Plate! Attack Tyrant Dragon!"

The rocky giant slowly began to move, its body shifting along with the arena as the very earth itself conspired against the dragon. Tyrant Dragon roared out in protest, fully prepared to strike down the EARTH monster that dared oppose it, only to find itself unusually grounded.

Masakazu noticed Tyrant Dragon's struggle as well, and his eyes quickly bulged in disbelief. "What's this?!" he asked in a hurry. "What have you done?!"

"Oh nothing much," Konami explained, "just a little by-product of Gaia Plate's effect! See, whenever he battles with another monster, the Attack and Defense Points of that monster… are halved!"

"W-What did you just say?!" Masakazu shouted in disbelief.

Tyrant Dragon roared once more as the surrounding earth chained it to the ground, severely hindering its ability to fight.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (1450/1300)

"Hang in there for just a little longer old buddy…" Konami said to it, ignoring the butler completely. "You're almost done, but for now… this is gonna hurt! Go, Gaia Plate! End it quick!"

Yet again the giant moved, rising upward to bring a hammering fist down upon Tyrant Dragon's head. The dragon roared as it felt the blow land upon its face, shattering the glimmering jewel that had decorated its forehead. As the shimmering shards crashed to the earth, so too did Tyrant Dragon shatter and disperse, vanishing from view as Masakazu's side of the Field trembled heavily from the Plate's attack.

**KONAMI – 1300 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 850 LP**

"I-Impossible…!" Masakazu breathed, attempting to stand firm despite the heavy vibrations beneath him. "He defeated Tyrant Dragon!"

"And I'm about to defeat you too!" Konami continued. "But for now, I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn! You're move, butler!"

"Hmph!" the man grimaced. "I don't need you to tell me that! I know perfectly well when it's my turn to strike… and my gut is telling me that it's right now! My Turn! I Draw!"

**TURN SEVEN – MASAKAZU**

"I summon the United Resistance, in Attack Position!" he roared, placing the respective card on his Duel Disk.

Yet again the Field erupted with blinding light, and a crowd once again took to the streets. Unlike the Oppressed People and People Running About however, this crowd provided a united front, showing just how powerful the crowd truly was when they combined forces.

United Resistance – (WIND/Thunder) – LV3 – (1000/400)

"Uh…" Konami trailed off. "You're going somewhere with this, right?"

"Indeed I am, because now I'm activating my final Trap card!" Masakazu revealed, activating the last card in his backrow. "Watch now, as I bring back the tool of your own destruction, with the power of Call of the Haunted!"

"Heh…" Konami laughed to himself quietly, watching as Masakazu made his last mistake.

"Come back, Tyrant Dragon!" the butler roared, a flame of pillars surrounding the Field as the dragon did appear for a second time.

Unfortunately however, it was not to last. The second its claws set foot upon the arena the flames it had spewed yet again surrounded it, and the creature roared out in a fiery vengeance. Masakazu reeled back at the sound, shielding himself in hopes of not being burned.

"What's this?! What's happening now?!"

"Something any true user of Tyrant Dragon knows about." Konami said, folding his arms. "See, Tyrant Dragon has more than just his double attack effect! When he's Special Summoned from the Graveyard, the Duelist who Special Summoned him has to Tribute one face-up Dragon-Type monster! _Annnnd_ since Tyrant Dragon is the only Dragon-Type monster on your side of the Field right now…" Konami smiled. "See where I'm going with this?"

"No!" Masakazu snarled, understanding perfectly well. "You must remain on this Field, Tyrant Dragon! I demand it!"

"Sorry, but he's not gonna listen to you anymore!" Konami interrupted. "Go ahead and explode, Tyrant Dragon! Burn things up, with your _Tyrant Tidal Fury!_"

Tyrant Dragon roared at the words, and the flames lashing at its body grew tenfold, forcing Masakazu to take even more steps away from the beast. With one final cry the creature shattered, leaving Masakazu with only the United Resistance to defend him.

It was not the position he wanted.

"Tsk…!" he muttered. "How ridiculous…! To think I'd be made a fool of by a slimy rat like you! Well, this Duel's not over yet! You may have a stronger monster on the Field, but with my next card, that won't matter! I activate the Spell Card, Demotion! This will allow me to decrease the Level of the equipped monster by two, and I'll be using it on my United Resistance, changing it from a Level _Three_ monster, to a Level _One_ monster!"

United Resistance – (WIND/Thunder) – LV1 – (1000/400)

"Alright," Konami said, watching the United Resistance crowd together in disappoint. "Not sure what you're going for here but I'll bite."

"Oh you'll bite alright," Masakazu revealed, "the dust, that is! I'm activating another Spell from my hand! The Magic card known as Opti-Camouflage Armor! This is an Equip Card that can only be used on a Level One monster! And since my United Resistance _is_ now Level One, I can use it on them to give the ability to bypass your monsters completely!"

"I get it! So that's why you used Demotion!" Konami shouted. "Now they don't have to go through my Gaia Plate at all!"

"That's right!" Masakazu confirmed. "Which means… they can now attack you directly instead!"

The United Resistance leapt at the chance, rushing past the rocky form of the Gaia Plate to charge and hammer into Konami brutally. The boy cried out upon feeling each blow, staggering back in pain as his Life Points dropped dangerously low.

**KONAMI – 300 LP**

**MASAKAZU – 850 LP**

"So I didn't manage to finish him off!" the butler scowled, realizing he was just points away from winning.

"Heh, doesn't seem like it. There's still some life in me yet, old man!" Konami replied, gripping his chest in mild pain.

"Then I'll just have to see to it that it too gets snuffed out!"

"Sorry, but there's no way that's gonna happen." Konami laughed. "Your Move has ended, and this one will be… my Final Turn!" he shouted, drawing his next card.

**TURN EIGHT – KONAMI**

"Final Turn?!" Masakazu shouted. "Impossible!"

"Very Possible!" Konami shouted. "And you're about to see how! As of my Standby Phase, Gaia Plate is sent to the Graveyard, as I have no other Rock monsters to use as its sacrifice!"

The rocky formation crumbled at the sound of Konami's words, knowing them to be far too true. Masakazu smirked upon seeing that, believing that Konami's lack of a high-powered monster would ruin any chances the boy had of winning.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

"Next, I think I'll take a page out of your book and activate my face-down, Call of the Haunted!" Konami shouted, revealing the Trap that nearly everyone in North Academy seemed to have. "Of course, unlike you, I'm going to play this card wisely, and that's why… I'll use it to bring back my Mirage Dragon you'd taken control of earlier!"

The golden dragon hissed as it appeared on the correct side of the Field, glaring at the butler for making use of its power earlier on in the Duel.

Mirage Dragon – (LIGHT/Dragon) – LV4 – (1600/600)

"Hmph! That monster may be powerful boy, but it doesn't have the strength to destroy my monster _and_ deliver enough damage to my Life Points to end the Duel! Face it child, you're bluffing!"

"Am I?" Konami asked coyly. "Who ever said that I intended to finish you off with Mirage Dragon?"

"?!" Masakazu winced, suddenly unsure of himself.

"You challenged me to take back what was mine through this Duel, and I intend to do just that!" Konami declared, a sinister red gleam appearing in his eye. "The King's grand jewel shines through here, subjugating all who dare oppose him! Ruler! Oppressor! Rise with the might of the burning sun! I beckon you here now through the power of the Resurrection Magic – Monster Reborn! Appear before me, _Tyrant Dragon!_"

As he placed the magical ankh onto the Field, gallant flames leapt forth for a third time that Duel. The European dragon of legend quickly appeared with a glorified roar, its claws sharper and eyes fiercer than they had ever been before.

The King was back, baby.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2600)

"And, unlike you, I know _all_ about Tyrant Dragon here, which is why I was smart enough to revive Mirage Dragon _before_ Special Summoning him from the Graveyard!" Konami explained. "That way, Tyrant Dragon has a lovely sacrifice waiting for him as he comes back!"

Tyrant Dragon roared as Mirage Dragon vanished into a sphere of light, disappearing inside the monster's jaws never to be seen again.

"What?! It devoured it?!" Masakazu exclaimed, stumbling backward. "No, wait a moment! This can't be happening! I am an elite, the ultimate Duelist!"

Konami shook his head, looking at the horrified butler with something akin to pity in his eyes. "You're nothing more than a scared little man hiding behind his owner's riches. But no amount of money or power can save you now! You made your bed the moment you decided to play along with Wisteria's little scheme, and now? It's time for you to lie in it! Go, Tyrant Dragon! Wipe him out once and for all with your _Tyrant Tidal Flame!_"

The Dragon clamped its jaws open, and the hellfire was unleashed anew.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

**END**

* * *

**Be a pal, R&R! And if you're really interested, check out the Tag Force TVTropes page a fan made. Apparently it could use a lot of love. - Hiyuusha**


	20. Tale X Fail

"This doesn't belong to you." Konami said, revealing Tyrant Dragon to Masakazu's prone form. "So, as per the rules of an Ante Duel… I'll be taking it back."

Masakazu's eyes flared, and string of curses leapt from his lips.

"Fiend! Foul child! Scoundrel! Son of a-"

"That's enough out of you." Konami interrupted, stuffing Masakazu's face with the butler's own cloth. "I'm sure you have no intention of explaining things to me properly, so I'll settle for confirming things with yes or no questions." Sighing, the boy stood before gesturing to the doorway that Masakazu had been blocking. "Is Wisteria through there?"

A glare was his response. Of course, Konami had expected as much. He had long suspected the man had no intention of revealing the girl's location, but the outcome of their Duel had overridden whatever sense of honor or duty the man had to her.

"As per the terms, you are bound to answer my questions." Konami said with a frown. "Don't tell me a "gentleman" like yourself would back out on a _fair_ and _trustworthy_ agreement?"

Masakazu glared further at the words. He knew full well that Konami was merely throwing his own words back in his face. It was he who had inadvertently challenged the Slifer, after all. He knew Konami would have been just fine ending things physically, such was the way of a ruffian, or so the butler believed.

Still, the boy had a point. He had been the one to dictate the terms of their arrangement, and Konami had been the one to agree. As such, even if things hadn't ended as he'd planned, Masakazu was bound to see things through to the end. Recalling Konami's question in his mind, Masakazu nodded once, and _only_ once.

Konami had seen the motion, miniscule though it had been.

"There, that wasn't so hard was it?" Konami asked, bending down to look at the defeated butler mockingly. He reached down, grabbing a random card from the man's Deck. "My reward for our Ante Duel. As I said before, Tyrant Dragon was not yours to give."

And with that said, he turned, and walked away.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Ten**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

"_So… this is it huh?"_ Konami thought with a sigh, staring at the giant door that took up nearly the entire room. _"I should have known. Someone with an ego as big as Wisteria's is bound to have an entrance just as obnoxious and loud." _He shook his head rapidly, attempting to clear his thoughts before gazing upon the door once more. His bored expression was gone, replaced with a look of determination that all but demanded vengeance for Wisteria's earlier slights. Just as he made to enter however, a sudden tingling sensation against the folds of his coat interrupted, prompting the boy to pause.

"Tyrant Dragon." Konami acknowledged. He reached inside the folds of his coat, grasping the card gently before gazing upon its form. It was hot at the touch, something Konami had grown used to after years of handling it. It had always been rather… unique, and briefly, Konami wondered if it was due to the presence of a Duel Spirit much like Yata-Garasu. He shook his head, realizing he did not have the time to ponder such things… _yet._

"You've had a rough day." He said gently, gazing upon the card softly. "Rest for now, until I have need of you."

The warm sensation died out, and Konami returned the card to his jacket. There was no place for the dragon in his current Deck. There were dragons, certainly, but not nearly enough to make use of the Tyrant's powerful effects.

Yata-Garasu suddenly cawed angrily, wondering just how long Konami would take to get a move on. Waving the bird off, Konami stepped forward, determined to face his foe yet again. Things would be different this time, he swore. They had to be, if he was to emerge victorious.

The door whined and creaked, opening slowly under the force of Konami's push. They were heavy; far heavier than Konami had expected, but still they moved. Before long they'd finally given way to the young Duelist, granting him entrance to the final stairway. It had been a long journey, but finally the moment was upon him. A rematch with Wisteria… the one who took it all.

Steeling himself, he ascended the steps quickly, his eyes locked on the dim light at the top of the floor. His pace quickened considerably. The doors parted as he reached them, requiring no physical contact to make way for the hurrying child. It was almost as if they knew he was coming… a thought that worried Konami immensely.

As he entered the glass-filled room, he took a moment to examine his surroundings. The room was dim and dank, the closed curtains preventing the rising sun from ushering in its morning rays. Still, Konami could make out a majority of the objects in the room. It certainly didn't hurt that there was only one desk upon which the objects could sit, prompting Konami to realize that he must have stumbled into an office of some sort.

Wisteria's perhaps?

No, Konami thought, shaking his head in denial. Even if the girl was rich, surely she didn't have _that_ much power. What use would an Academy Student have for an office anyway? It wasn't as if she was the CEO of a company, even if she'd swiped Kami's out from under her feet. Still, the boy couldn't help but feel wary.

It wasn't until he stepped further into the room that he realized why.

A single chair lay in the center of the room, turned coyly toward the closed windows. Konami could easily make out the silhouette of a young woman in its midst, and given the circumstances, it was far too obvious as to whom it belonged to. Setting a hand upon the back of the chair softly, Konami spun it around, coming face-to-face with the cold, stoic gaze of one Wisteria Fujiwara.

"Wisteria…" Konami breathed, taking several steps back in an attempt to squash the anger bubbling inside him. "Why?"

The girl made no immediate move to respond. Unfortunately for her, Konami was in no mood to honor the virtues of patience.

"_Answer me!_" he roared, swiping his hand out in a fit of rage.

"Why?" Wisteria repeated, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I'm afraid you'll have to be a _bit_ more specific than that."

Konami grimaced, shaking his head in disgust. "Why are you going to such lengths? What could possibly drive you to have thought it necessary to demean others for your own amusement, to have attempted _murder_ of all things upon my person?!"

Wisteria scoffed at that, averting her eyes from Konami's hate-filled gaze to formulate a response. "Some families are just better than others, worm. I thought you'd have figured that out by now."

The urge to make the girl suffer grew tenfold, no doubt multiplied by the twisted desires of Konami's very own Tyrant Dragon. Quickly the boy squashed the emotion down, though his face displayed the fury he felt upon being spoken to in such a fashion.

"Stop dancing around the subject!" Konami snapped, his tone low and guttural. "I want an answer! A real one! None of this crap about how you wanted to make Kami suffer or how you mean to lord yourself over others! You nearly killed me with that stunt of yours, Wisteria, and I want answers, _now_!"

Wisteria remained silent for a moment, taking the time to study Konami seriously. For once, it seemed as though he was truly furious, and rightfully so. Briefly the girl supposed that she too would have been outraged upon being dropped off the top floor of a ten story building, but that line of thought was quickly forgotten upon hearing Konami's infuriated growl.

"You want answers?" Wisteria asked rhetorically. "Why should I bother? What use is it to you?"

"What use is it?" Konami asked. "What use was it for you to throw me out the window?!"

"That was… for my amusement, I suppose." Wisteria admitted after a moment.

"Your… amusement?"

His tone was flat. Anger bubbled inside him, and for the briefest of moments, Konami knew true hate.

"You tried to kill me… for fun?"

"That's right." Wisteria confirmed. "Is it not what you wanted to hear? Were you expected some heartfelt story filled with love and friendship? So naive. That's just not the way the world works. But why not? You wanted a story, did you not? Far be it for me to deny you one. Yes... I'll tell you a story, dear Red Hat. The story of a girl and her desires, and of a bitch and her freedom."

Things settled for a moment, and using the time allotted to him, Konami reeled the worst of his rage.

"What do you know of the Fujiwara Foundation?" Wisteria asked, gazing upon the boy's form curiously.

"What do they have to do with anything?" Konami questioned.

Once again Wisteria smirked. "Humor me." She said, gesturing for Konami to speak.

"They're… your father's company, right?" he asked, unsure of himself. "Some kind of gaming industry… They're rivals with the SIC, or at least they were, until _you_ decided to sabotage them with that plan of yours!"

"I'm surprised. It isn't much, but it's more than I suspected from you." Wisteria said. "You are correct of course. The Fujiwara Foundation is my family's pride and namesake. It is the key to our wealth and power, and why I can do what I do with no fear of repercussion. To the victor goes the spoils. That is our motto, and so too, has it become North Academy's." Wisteria paused there for a moment, allowing it to sink in before continuing. "All my life I was taught that I had to be the best of the best, that it was my duty as an elite to guide those less fortunate into the light. As a result my childhood was spent rotting away in early education, learning the basics and other fine facts of Dueling and Society. Math, Science, Social Studies. I learned it all in my early years, so I could be groomed into taking over the "family business" one day."

"So?" Konami sniped. "What's the problem? That doesn't explain anything about why you'd do what you did!"

"The problem, you sniveling fool," Wisteria growled, "is that I had no desire in taking over as CEO! What use could I possibly have for participating in such a thing? I already had everything I wanted! Money! Power! But my father stood firm," Wisteria snarled. ""What good is a daughter who won't do as she's told?" he'd say. And so I listened. For years I did as he asked, bound to the fact that one day, his job would become my own. Things were fine, for a time, but then… I met _her_. Kami, so beautiful, so callous, the perfect representation of my own self, but free to live out the life she chose."

The girl fell silent for a moment, but Konami could see the fury in her eyes.

"Oh how I loathed her. How could she, daughter of a man lesser than my own, have what I could not? How could she, who could not even hold a card correctly the day we first met, be free to do as she wished, while I was trapped in classes detailing economics and shareholding? It tore me apart, Konami."

"And so you swore to tear her apart." The boy replied, understanding.

"That is correct. For _years_ I schemed, waiting, wishing, for the one moment when everything would become clear. With great effort and plotting I managed to convince my father that it would be in the business's best interests to grant me entry into North Academy, away from his prying eyes and ears under the guise of "networking with humanity's future."" Wisteria laughed. "And network I did. Within days I had this academy eating out of the palm of my hands, and an opportunity arose. Kami, ever the maverick, had enrolled in Duel Academy. When I heard of this I knew I simply could not leave things be. So I plotted, and with Masakazu's assistance I infiltrated the school as an Obelisk Blue, greeting her as an old friend. And from there… well, you know the story, don't you? The treachery we wrought together… the pain we caused." Wisteria laughed. "It truly was marvelous, and I have you to thank for such a show. The look in her eyes when she realized it was _I _who had ruined her… delicious."

"You're evil." Konami decided, curling his hands into fists.

"Am I?" Wisteria asked, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the thought. "Or was I merely correcting the way the world worked? Pain and misfortune… who am I to deny someone such things?"

"Who are you to dish them out?!" Konami countered. "What did Kami do to you to deserve such treatment?! Weren't you friends?!"

"You dare associate me with that riffraff?!" Wisteria snarled. "Why on earth would we be friends, how could we, when she lorded her freedom over me as if she were a goddess?! If I could not have the future I desired, then why should she?! I'll admit, the knowledge her company brought did wonders for my familial relationships, and so too, did it provide me the means of finally building my beloved Ritual Deck, but don't think for a second that there was an ulterior motive to my actions! She had what I did not, and so I took it all away. If it served to increase my own power… then so be it. The objects I gained from her humiliation… they are quite similar to you, in fact." she said, smiling at him coyly. "Mere pawns to be used as I desire."

"I don't believe it." Konami said, his grimace returning full force. "You… You're…"

_You're so selfish._

"You think that just because you don't get what you want that gives you the right…?" he asked, taking a menacing step forward toward the girl.

"I am the daughter and heir to the Fujiwara Foundation," Wisteria replied, meeting Konami's glare with her own. "_I_ already have the right! How dare that… that whore prattle on about her future in front of me! How _dare_ she mock me in such a fashion!"

"That's no excuse!" Konami hollered. "You think cursing and hurting those around you will change anything?! That's not going to help you, Wisteria!"

"I need no help! I am Wisteria Fujiwara, heir to the Fujiwara Foundation and ruler of this Academy! I do as I wish and go where I please!" Wisteria shot back. "I proved as much when I defeated the likes of you!"

The two settled into an eerie silence, glaring at each other with all their might. Suddenly Wisteria smirked, something dark twinkling in her eyes as she confirmed her previous statement.

"Yes… that's right. I defeated you, retaining my place as Queen and Ruler of North Academy." Wisteria said, raising her hand to point at him victoriously. "And so, as your Queen, I command you… _bow_."

Konami felt some ripple through him at Wisteria's words, and he almost, _almost_, did as she asked. His legs began to shake as a sudden weight bore down upon him, and slowly, a deep grimace made its way onto his face.

_Yes. Bow, Konami Kodo. Bow, and meet your Demise._

_I mustn't_, Konami knew. _I won't._ But the weight of his skin was _so_ heavy, and the appearance of the floor beneath him looked _so_ appealing.

Something golden dangled just beneath his chin, and in the corner of his eyes, he saw it. The necklace he'd gained from the icy tomb of the knights. The pact he'd made, and the oath he had sworn.

_What he had been shown, but could not see._

What would Chazz say, if he saw him struggling in such a fashion? What would Bastion think, knowing he had come so far only to give in at the last moment? What of Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and the Obelisk Trio? Of Zane…

And Yuma?

His leg moved outward at the last moment, catching himself.

"I won't!"

Wisteria rose from her chair in outrage, affronted at the blatant disobedience the boy had shown. "You dare-"

"Yes I dare." Konami breathed. "You may have beaten me Wisteria, but you haven't _beaten_ me."

"What?!" Wisteria snarled. "I bested you-"

"Yes, you did." Konami agreed. "But things have changed since then. To the victors go the spoils…"

Tyrant Dragon poked out from Konami's jackets, and Wisteria caught sight of it.

"That's-! You-!"

"That's right. Since coming here I defeated your number two, Masakazu." Konami said. "I defeated him, when all others ran away and dared not fight! Me, someone who had never intended to join this school in the first place!"

"But-! You-! How?!" Wisteria snapped.

"A revolution." Konami replied cryptically, drawing the woman's ire.

"So… you are the new Number Two…" Wisteria muttered after a moment, glaring at Konami angrily.

"Yeah. And I heard somewhere that only the Number Two has the right to challenge the Number One, right?" Konami inquired.

Wisteria said nothing, did nothing. She studied the boy before her critically, reanalyzing everything she thought she knew about him. How could this be possible? The fall he'd suffered should have at least been enough to kill him, much less render him incapable of Dueling for weeks, if not years! How could he possibly have recovered enough to not only climb the tower, but defeat her prized butler as well?!

It made no sense.

"You have defeated my butler… so now you seek to challenge _me_?" Wisteria confirmed. "You seek to defeat _me_, to overthrow _me_, to claim _my _throne as your own?! You dare?! I will _maim_ you! I shall _rend_ your flesh, _burn_ you, _kill_ you-!"

"You're a monster Wisteria." Konami said softly, grabbing the Fusion Deck borne from the cave. "And I'm going to stop you."

With a crazed snarl the girl leapt forward, and their Duel Disks energized as one.

**-GX-**

**Konami began his Duel with Wisteria, but elsewhere, a certain Princeton had finished his climb…**

**-GX-**

"Tsk, how annoying. This place doesn't even have a kitchen!" Chazz snapped, walking through the tower's lower halls alone. "Just like I thought! My place is much, much better than this hellhole! There's not even a pool!"

The sound of a low moan cut the boy off from his rant, and he paused in his step, turning to face the dark hall from which the sound had emerged.

"What was that?" Chazz asked warily. "Who's there?!"

There was silence for a moment, before another low moan emerged from the dim hall. Despite himself, Chazz gulped.

"_Alright Chazz,"_ he thought quietly, attempting to steel his nerves. _"There's no need to worry about this! After all, there's no such thing as Zombies, right?! Of course not! Besides, even if there were, I have _more_ than enough money to make sure they don't do anything to me! Yeah, that's right! I'm rich!"_

Another moan echoed through the hall, yet again interrupting Chazz's monologue. Growing tired of the sudden noises, Chazz scowled.

"Aw pipe down already!" he yelled, marching into the hall with newfound strength. "I'm coming!"

Despite his demands however, the moans continued even as Chazz walked further into the darkness, ignorant to whatever threats or danger that may have lied ahead. It wasn't until sometime later that the boy could finally make out a small light in the distance, announcing the end to his grim, dark, journey.

Even so, the moans continued, and if possible, it seemed that they had only grown in strength. Chazz could hear the sound echoing all around him as he neared the light, and it was only then that he realized the sound for what it was.

Contrary to his first belief, the sound did not belong to a zombie or other undead creature. In fact, it couldn't have been further from the truth. The sound was a groan of pain, issued only from the mouth of the very person whom he sought to defeat in the first place! The butler, Masakazu.

Scowling, Chazz knelt down by the man's side, placing a hand on his arm to curl him forward for a face-to-face discussion. The former Obelisk had a lot to say, after all, and he wanted to make sure that the butler was awake to hear all of it. The Chazz didn't like having to repeat himself, you see.

Unfortunately however, it seemed that the man was in fact unconscious. The sudden outrage of defeat mixed with the knowledge that he had failed his young lady more than enough to drive the man mad, not that Chazz knew this.

"What happened to you?" Chazz asked the unconscious butler, not quite expecting to receive an answer.

"He lost."

"What?!" Chazz shouted, turning swiftly on his heel to face the speaker. "Ah! It's you!" he shouted gesturing toward his speaker in surprise. "You're the guy who threw me onto this island in the first place!"

"Indeed." The headmaster said, wrapped tightly in his masked outfit. "It seems you have been faring well, young Duelist."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Chazz muttered, glancing back toward the unconscious butler who moaned once more in his fitful sleep. "What do you mean he lost?!"

"I mean exactly what I said." The headmaster said, approaching the pair subtly. "He lost. He was defeated in an Ante Duel… bested by the same one who accompanied you here to this facility."

"That Red Hat did this?!" Chazz asked in astonishment, only to smirk knowingly. "Heh, I always knew that punk had it in him! But he's got another thing coming if he thinks I'm gonna thank him for beating _my_ prey!"

"Quite, though I am curious as to whether or not he even cares. He does have far more important things to worry about, such as besting his current opponent for one." The headmaster revealed.

"What?! That slacker's already gone and gotten himself in another Duel as well?!" Chazz asked. "How's that fair?!"

The headmaster said nothing, gazing upon Chazz with a blank expression (or as much as a blank expression a mask could have anyway). It was an unnoticed gesture, and seemed to ponder as to why Chazz cared whether something was "fair" or not.

"You… are the one who defeated Czar and the other students outside, are you not?" the headmaster asked, earning a smirk from Chazz.

"Yeah, that's right! The Chazz was more than enough to beat those losers! Each and every one of them were made to bite the dust, and I made all of them go bye-bye!"

"I see…" the headmaster nodded, as if Chazz's words only confirmed what he already knew. "And I suppose this means that you've defeated Lucien as well, no?"

Chazz folded his arms impatiently, though he nodded at the question.

"I see…"

There was a moment of silence.

"Well done."

Chazz scoffed, before turning on his heel to head down a different hallway. "Whatever!" he shouted, "I need to find that Slifer Slacker so we can get out of here! I have more important things to do than lounge around with you losers!"

"If that is truly the case… then I wouldn't recommend heading in that direction." The headmaster replied. "Mr. Kodo is far above us I'm afraid, and the way you're heading is filled with naught but dead ends."

"What's that?! How do you-?"

"Let's just say I have my secrets, young Duelist." The headmaster replied. "I know quite a bit, including a certain name that I think will intrigue you… Jaden Yuki."

Chazz's eyes snapped wide. "What's that you just said?! How do you know that name?!"

"I told you on the submarine did I not?" the headmaster asked humorously. "You talk in your sleep."

"Guh…"

"Do you want to defeat him?" the headmaster questioned, earning a glare from the former Obelisk.

"What kind of a question is that?!" Chazz snapped. "Of course I do! Just one more Duel! That's all I want!"

"Then follow me." The headmaster said, extending a hand toward Chazz. "I shall provide you that opportunity… and so much more. But, you must do as I say."

Chazz glared at the man angrily, but who was he to deny a chance at revenge.

"_Just you wait Jaden!"_ Chazz thought ferociously, making to follow the man as he began to move through a certain hall. _"I'll get you yet!"_

**-GX-**

**And so it began…**

**-GX-**

Konami and Wisteria glared at one another, their Duel Disks activated and starting cards in their hands. The stage had been set for a while, but only now was the final outcome to be revealed. Their eyes flared, and red hues stared down red hues as flames of blue suddenly spread around them.

"**DUEL!"**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

**END**

* * *

**Hi guys, Hiyuusha here.**

**As you've no doubt seen it's been a bit harder to update chapters as frequently as I've been able to. Life's been getting busy, and as a result that gives me less time to write as freely as I used to. Even so, I'm confident in the ability to at least crank out a chapter or two each week, maybe more when I'm not as busy. Anyway, next chapter expect the final confrontation between Wisteria and Konami, and who knows, we may even get a look at how things are going back at Duel Academy without him around! It's sure to be a ride for both of us, so be sure to check it out once it's finished!**

**Till next time!**

**H**


	21. Unleash Your Hate X Entangle Your Fate

"I see you have returned."

It was late. Or was it early? Either way, the sun had not yet clawed its way past the horizon, and so, the area was covered in the cold cloak of night. Konami had only just returned from his adventure, his clothes worn and eyes weary. It had been a long day, for the both of them.

"Did you succeed?" the headmaster asked. "The cards Pegasus left to the Academy… did you find them?"

"About that…" Konami said, stepping further into the warm confines of the cabin and closing the door behind him. "…Let's just say that it's a long story."

"Let's just say that we have quite a bit of time." The headmaster retorted with a small smile. "Here." He added, moving to pull out a chair for the weary child. "Let us sit. You must have quite the tale."

"Yeah…"

Moving slowly Konami crossed the space between them, tiredly slouching his body into the seat the headmaster had revealed. He set his hands onto the table softly, just in time for a long, weary sigh to escape his lips.

The headmaster chuckled at the noise, swiftly moving around the table to take the seat across from the Slifer. Mimicking Konami's position in his own way, the man smiled behind his mask, and made to speak.

"Now… tell me."

And so Konami did. He explained his journey into the glowing cavern, and detailed his encounter with the strange, yet familiar phantasms he encountered inside. Needless to say, the headmaster was enthralled from the very beginning. It wasn't until Konami's story neared its conclusion that he saw fit to interrupt.

"So _that's_ where you got the necklace from. I'll admit I was rather curious when you returned here wearing it." The headmaster chuckled.

"Yeah." Konami nodded, playing with the golden device strapped around his neck. "It's strange though. These three pieces of gold… when you put them together it looks as though they could hold a card of some sort, but every time I do and crack it open there's nothing but air. Something you can show but not see huh…? How irritating."

"Hm? What was that you just said?" the headmaster asked curiously.

"Oh, don't mind me." Konami waved him off. "I was just thinking about something that illusion told me before disappearing. A riddle I'm supposed to solve while obeying the rules of the pact."

"A riddle? Well, that certainly does sound like something a Game Master like Pegasus would partake in, doesn't it?" the headmaster laughed. "Something you can show but not see? I wonder what answer it is he's looking for…"

"Who knows?" Konami shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, right now I'm more worried about the rules of the pact that I am to obey. It's only three things, so it's not like it'll be all that hard to live by, but still, you can't help but be a little paranoid when you get caught up in things like this, you know?"

"Quite." The headmaster agreed. "You said it only three things, correct? Would you mind enlightening me as to what they entail?"

Konami glanced at the man suspiciously, before letting another sigh escape his lips. "Yeah, I guess I could do that much. I owe you for fixing me up after all. Alright, listen close. I'm only going to say this once."

He held his hands up steadily, raising a single finger as he explained each point.

"Rule Number One:" he began, "Thou shalt not use thine cards save for Duels of Great Importance. Seems simple enough. That pretty much just means that I can't run around using them whenever I please. Duels of great importance… I suppose it's referring to things where there's a lot at stake, a Duel that you can't afford to lose."

"Indeed. It should be rather simple to abide by that command, it isn't as if there aren't an abundance of other cards around to use for… fun." The headmaster agreed, nodding his head before gesturing for the boy to continue.

"Rule Number Two:" Konami obliged, "Thou shalt not forfeit possession of thine cards. Again, pretty straight forward. Simply put, now that these cards are in my possession, I can't afford to lose them. They're with me now, and so too will they stay."

"Then I suppose you had best keep a firm grip on them," the headmaster laughed, "especially with the Academy operating as it does. It would not be surprising if one or more students attempt to drive you into an Ante Duel."

"You're right about that. In those cases it might be better off not to use them completely, or make sure I'm confident enough in my Deck and own skill to pull out a win." Konami agreed, narrowing his eyes in thought. "In any case, it's the last rule that's confusing. I mean, it certainly doesn't _seem_ like that much when you first hear it but… well, let me just go ahead and say what it is. Rule Number Three: Thou shall take responsibility for thine cards' actions."

"Responsibility?" the headmaster inquired. "Well, that _is_ interesting."

"Right?!" Konami asked, his voice raising ever so slightly. "What does that even mean? Take responsibility? How can you do that for a card? …Unless it's telling me that they're all like Yata-Garasu here…" he added, glancing subtly at the Spirit that had settled itself gently in the window sill.

It cawed quietly.

"Anyway, that's all of them." Konami said, lowering his hand to lean back in the chair. "Three rules to live by, and a riddle to solve. I have my work cut out for me… as if I didn't have enough to worry about already. What am I supposed to do…?"

"Oblige them." The headmaster replied, as if the answer were obvious. "You wouldn't have received the cards if they didn't think you could handle them. The fact that you, of all people, did means that there must be something about you that Pegasus, or the Duel Spirits, like. Your fate is already entangled with that of one Duel Spirit," the man continued, "surely a few more won't hurt?"

Konami glanced at Yata-Garasu once more. "Maybe… I guess we'll find out in time, won't we?"

"Indeed." The Headmaster agreed. "In the meantime, let us drift away from such topics. I've been meaning to talk to you about that ruined jacket of yours…"

And so the conversation shifted to lighter things, though the unease in Konami's heart never settled.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Two – Chapter Eleven**

* * *

**The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

That had been last night. Konami knew that the headmaster had stayed up all night adding the padding and his ruined uniform, but at the moment, such things were absent from his mind. Wisteria was across from him, and the room was surrounded in the same blue flames that had been present during their first encounter in the tower. The flames of Demise.

"_This Duel is of Great Importance to me,"_ Konami thought furiously, _"so I should have no problems using these cards! That being said… it's not the only thing I'm thinking about right now! __**Red Hat's**__ riddle… _"Something you can show, but not see"… _with Wisteria here in front of me, the answer is far too obvious! And that is…!"_ he activated his Duel Disk, flicking it outward while sliding his Deck deep into its fold. _"My hate!"_

"DUEL!" the two shouted, their emotions high as they glared each other down.

**KONAMI VS WISTERIA**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 4000 LP**

"As Queen of the Academy, the right of First Move is mine!" Wisteria exclaimed, grabbing a card from the top of her Deck. "Draw!"

**TURN ONE – WISTERIA**

"I'll begin with the card that will bring everything together! The monster – _Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands_!" she shouted, throwing the card down upon her Duel Disk.

In a flash of light the grey Fairy emerged, its horde of hands spreading out in multiple directions as it made to stand. With a soft groan it heaved itself upward, ready to do as its master commanded.

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands – (LIGHT/Fairy) – LV4 – (1400/1000)

"As you already know from our first encounter," Wisteria continued, "Manju here has an effect! When I Normal Summon him onto my side of the Field, I can grab 1 Ritual or Ritual Monster Card from my Deck. I think I'll do just that, and add _Demise, King of Armageddon_ to my Hand with Manju's ability!"

Manju gleamed with powerful magic as its effect activated, and in a great flash the blue card that had dealt Konami defeat flew into Wisteria's cold, pristine hands. The girl smirked upon glancing at it, and turned to face Konami once more.

"Unfortunately for you however, Demise won't be staying there very long." Wisteria cackled. "I activate… this! The Spell Card _Advanced Ritual Art_! With this, I can select 1 Ritual Monster in my Hand, like _Demise_, and then send Normal Monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard whose total Levels are equal to that of _Demise_'s! Of course, it's only then that the real fun begins, because once they're sent… I can Ritual Summon the chosen Ritual Monster to the Field!"

"What?!" Konami snapped, his glare increasing tenfold.

"Now, sacrifice yourselves for my cause!" Wisteria yelled, glancing at her Deck sadistically. "I send the Level 4 Ryu-Kishin Powered and the Level 4 Mad Dog of Darkness to the Graveyard! With their death the world shall crack and flee as the darkest of Kings is born! Fear! Fracture!" she chanted, twirling the card about in her fingertips before bringing it down upon her Duel Disk with great force. "Be made whole and conquer all lands in sight! I call your name now, _Demise, King of Armageddon!_"

The blue flames surrounding them burned brighter as the fiendish King appeared in all his glory. His great battle axe gleamed alongside his armor, and as his skull-like face came into full view, Wisteria's smile grew.

Demise, King of Armageddon – (DARK/Fiend) – LV8 – (2400/2000)

"It's only the first turn, and you're already bringing out the big dogs!" Konami cursed.

"Of course! I have no time to be playing around with the likes of a worm like you!" Wisteria snapped, quickly grabbing another card from her hand. "I'll set one card face-down, and End my Turn!"

Growling, Konami curled a hand into a fist, attempting to still his trembling limbs. "Well, that's just fine! But I hope you don't regret it, because now… it's my move, and if you can bring out heavy hitters on your first Turn, then so can I! My Move! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"I summon… _Gem-Armadillo_ to the Field in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, revealing the first member of his brand new archetype.

In response to his words, a small, Carnelian-colored armadillo appeared. Two rocket-shaped appendages grew from its shoulders, and it squeaked in a rocky, hoarse voice before settling upon the Field.

Gem-Armadillo – (EARTH/Rock) – LV4 – (1700/500)

"Gem-Armadillo? I never heard of that card before!" Wisteria exclaimed.

"Well you're about to get your first look at it, and a lot of other new cards as well, because _Gem-Armadillo_ has an effect!" Konami shouted.

"It does?!"

"When _Gem-Armadillo_ is Normal Summoned, I can add 1 "Gem-Knight" monster from my Deck to my Hand, and the one I'm choosing is… this one!" Konami said, grabbing a Normal Monster and revealing its form to his opponent. "The ice-cold water lover, _Gem-Knight Sapphire_!"

Wisteria growled at the appearance of the knight splashing water around, and turned her gaze back toward Konami.

"So what? Even if you have a few new cards, it doesn't change the fact that you've already summoned this Turn! While I admit that overgrown Armadillo of yours may have the Attack Power to destroy my Manju… don't forget that I'll be able to wipe it out with my Demise on my next Turn!"

"Perhaps, but you're mistaken about one thing, Wisteria!" Konami roared. "The Gem-Knights aren't cards meant to be used for Normal Summoning, but rather… the advanced power of _Fusion _Summoning instead!" he quickly made to grab another card from his hand, before revealing its contents to the enraged women across from him. "Behold now, the power of their very own union card, the Combination Magic – _Gem-Knight Fusion_!"

He slapped the Spell Card upon his Duel Disk, and immediately a giant hologram of its form appeared on the Field. Similar to the Polymerization Spell, it displayed two creatures combining into one, though instead of a blank or dreary background, it revealed a shining world filled with gems and shining stones instead.

"Gem-Knight… Fusion?" Wisteria questioned.

"That's right! Now, allow me to explain what it does!" Konami continued. "Similar to other Fusion cards, _Gem-Knight Fusion_ allows me to send two or monsters in my Hand or on my side of the Field to the Graveyard, so long as they're used to Fusion Summon a "Gem-Knight" Monster from my Extra Deck! So, watch now as I combine the might of my _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ with that of another Gem-Knight in my Hand, the thunderous _Gem-Knight Tourmaline_!"

He revealed the second Gem-Knight, displaying a yellowish warrior wielding a sphere of lightning between its palms.

"With their power, two becomes one, and a brand new gemstone is borne!" he chanted, watching as the two cards appeared on the Field for a brief instant before vanishing inside the _Gem-Knight Fusion_ Spell. Lightning cracked and roared around the Field, and as Konami's Spell vanished, a new card rose up in its place. "Appear now, and bring devastation upon my foe with the speed of lightning! Come forth, _Gem-Knight Topaz_!"

A single bolt of lightning crashed down upon the Field at Konami's behest, and a golden warrior armed with a pair bolt-shaped Tonfa appeared with a loud harrumph. It swung its weapons about twice as if practicing, before striking a pose and moving to stand beside _Gem-Armadillo._

Gem-Knight Topaz – (EARTH/Thunder) – LV6 – (1800/1800)

"Hmph! All that talk and this is what you have to show for it? That monster has only 1800 Attack Points!" Wisteria noticed. "It's barely stronger than your stupid Armadillo!"

"True, but its effect more than makes up for its low Attack!" Konami explained. "And it's that effect that I plan to make use of… by having him attack your _Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands_! Go, _Gem-Knight Topaz_! Strike him down with your _Lightning Blade_!"

The Gem-Knight harrumphed once more at the command, a surge of electrical energy overtaking its body completely as it suddenly lunged forward, driving its sharp Tonfa through Manju's hard skin. The Fairy cried out upon impact, its eyes going wide just before it shattered into ten thousand shards of light. Wisteria too, winced, feeling the tingling sensation that came with the loss of a monster.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 3600 LP**

"Hmph! So what? I only lost a few Life Points!" Wisteria noted, easily recovering.

"That's what you think, but my _Gem-Knight Topaz _has an effect!" Konami continued. "Whenever he destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, the controller of the destroyed monster takes a bit more damage… equal to the Attack Points of the monster Topaz destroyed!"

Wisteria's eyes widened at Konami's revelation. "W-What did you just say?!"

"Let's go, _Gem-Knight Topaz_!" Konami roared. "Show her that Lightning _can _strike twice with your _Thunder Slash!_ Double Attack! Go!"

Topaz once again moved forward at Konami's words, bringing its two Tonfa down across Wisteria's front in an X-shaped swing. The girl cried out as the weapons tore through her, forcing her body to stumble back as the pain rippled across her skin. Her face twisted into a nasty expression, and she turned to her Duel Disk to watch her Life Points drop rapidly.

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2200 LP**

"I may not have the power to overtake your Demise right now, Wisteria," Konami shouted, "but don't think for a _second_ that that means I can't get at your Life Points instead!"

"You'll pay for that…!" Wisteria snarled. "You and those hideous rock creatures of yours!"

"Oh yeah? We'll see about _that_." Konami retorted, grabbing another card from his hand. "I just know how you love to destroy things, so I'll set one card face-down on the Field, and End my Turn! Let's see what you've got, oh "great Queen"!"

"You mean to mock me…?!" Wisteria growled. "Fool… I'll have you pay for your insolence! It's my Turn now! I Draw!"

**TURN THREE – WISTERIA**

"_Mm! Ruin!"_ Wisteria thought, glaring at the card in her hand sharply. _"It would be far too easy to finish this Duel now with the cards I control, but that face-down of his… tch, I can't risk it! Especially with only 2200 Life Points! In that case…!"_

"You may think you have me figured out, worm, but I still have quite a few tricks up my sleeve! Like this for example! My face-down Ritual Spell, _End of the World!_ With this, I can Tribute Monsters from my Hand or my side of the Field equal to the Level of one _Ruin_ or _Demise_ in my Hand, and then Ritual Summon that monster! Since _Demise, King of Armageddon_ is already on the Field… I'm certain you know what's coming!" Wisteria snapped, grabbing another blue card from her Hand while sending two other Monsters to the Graveyard. "Begone, Level 4 _Sonic Bird, _Level 3 _Ryu-Kishin_! Your Queen demands your sacrifice!"

The two monsters vanished from her hand, becoming small spheres of light that leapt toward the Graveyard. As they settled into their position, the flames surrounding the Field grew even hotter as Wisteria raised her chosen monster and began to chant.

"O' Great Fairy who sleeps among us, arise now and show us your might! Mislead! Manipulate! Wrap the world around your finger and cast it into the endless abyss! I call your name, _Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!_"

The silver haired woman emerged from the floor at Wisteria's call, garbed tight in her red and black dress. Twirling her vile staff about her expertly, the woman let loose a wicked laugh before settling into position beside Demise.

Ruin, Queen of Oblivion – (LIGHT/Fairy) – LV7 – (2300/2000)

"Ruin _and_ Demise?!" Konami exclaimed, glancing at the Destruction Duo in surprise.

"That's right, and now that they've both arisen, your chances at winning this Duel just went from slim to none!" Wisteria exclaimed. "Let's go, _Ruin_! You shall have the first taste of victory, by annihilating that _Gem-Knight Topaz_ of his! Go forth, strike it down with your _Eternal Beauty!_"

Ruin whipped the staff about one more time, her eyes gleaming in sadistic delight as she suddenly thrust it forward, impaling Topaz upon its sharpened point. The Gem-Knight cried out upon being pierced through, and by the time the shout died down it had already shattered into small fragments of light. Konami stepped back as they passed through them, delivering him damage equal to the difference.

"And don't forget," Wisteria cackled gleefully. "When Ruin destroys an opponent's monster by battle, once and only once that turn, she gains a second attack! Go Queen of Oblivion, destroy that _Gem-Armadillo_ with your _Hellfire Flare_!"

Twirling about on her heel, Ruin smashed her staff into Konami's second monster as well, eliciting a pained shriek from the Rock-type. Yet again fragments of his shattered monster passed through Konami's person, and he cried out, taking a step back as yet another wave of pain coursed through him.

**KONAMI – 2900 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2200 LP**

"And I'm not finished yet!" Wisteria shouted happily. "Because now that my _Ruin, Queen of Oblivion_ has cleared the Field, that means that her mighty King, _Demise_, can land a direct blow upon your person!"

"Ah…!" Konami cursed, responding to Wisteria's words with a sharp glare.

"Your stares won't save you now!" the woman retorted, swooping her hand forward eagerly. "Go, Demise! Hit him with all your might! _Infernal Axe Breaker!_"

Demise's eyes glowed blue for the briefest of seconds, and it suddenly appeared before Konami, its battle axe raised high for a deadly strike. Konami glanced up, only to leap backward just as the monster swung down on the handle. As a result, the axe landed inches in front of Konami's person, and an explosion of blue flames leapt out from the point of impact. Wisteria's eyes gleamed, and she clutched her free hand tight.

"Perish!"

The Field exploded, and Konami flew backward, his body receiving the full force of Demise's attack.

**KONAMI – 500 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2200 LP**

"How's that, worm?! Do you not see that no matter what cards you use, it's futile? I'm better than you! Always have been, always will be!"

"Heheh…" Konami laughed, slowly crawling back to his feet. "Idiot. If that was really the case, I'd have already lost this battle!"

Wisteria's eyes widened ever so slightly. "What?"

"You took my bluff plain and simple! If you had the sense to use Demise's effect from the beginning, and _then _summon Ruin, this Duel would've already been over! You fell for my bluff Wisteria, plain and simple! And now… it's time for my comeback!"

"What?! Wait! I could have… won?!" Wisteria shouted angrily.

"That's right, but it's too late now! It's my Turn!" Konami roared. "Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

"I activate my face-down card!" he shouted immediately, revealing the Trap Card that everyone knew and loved. "The Resurrection Trap – _Call of the Haunted_!"

"What?!" Wisteria glowered. "It's not something like _My Body as a Shield_?!"

"Heh, so that's what you thought it was." Konami smirked. "I already told you didn't I? It was a bluff, and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker! Now, I can bring back one of the Gem-Knights in my Graveyard, and the one I choose is… my _Gem-Knight Sapphire_, in Attack Position!

With a loud splash the bluish Gem-Knight appeared, a wave of water spiraling around him in perfect circles. Moving through several different poses, the silent Gem-Knight stood firm, gazing upon the Ragnarok Duo defiantly.

Gem-Knight Sapphire – (EARTH/Aqua) – LV4 – (0/2100)

"0 Attack Points?!" Wisteria laughed. "What a waste! Your Gem-Knight would have been better off being summoned in Defense Position, but even then it wouldn't be able to withstand an attack from either of my Ritual Monsters! What a farce!"

"True, but I didn't summon my _Gem-Knight Sapphire_ to battle you!" Konami retorted. "I'm merely bringing him back to help out another of his friends, but first, I need to activate the effect of a card still in my Graveyard! That of _Gem-Knight Fusion!_"

"That Polymerization rip-off?!" Wisteria asked. "But you can't fuse monster with a card that's in the Grave!"

"No, you can't." Konami agreed. "But thanks to my _Gem-Knight Fusion's_ second effect, it won't be for long! See, when it's the Graveyard during my Turn, I can banish 1 Gem-Knight monster in the Graveyard to add it back to my Hand! And since I still have two more in my Grave, I can banish my _Gem-Knight Tourmaline_ to return this Spell Card back to my Hand!"

"Ah!" Wisteria exclaimed, watching as a shining light erupted from Konami's Graveyard slot and returned the Spell between his fingers. Grimacing, the girl tightened her fists, wondering what new Fusion Monster he'd summon next.

"And now that I have this card back among my Hand…" Konami mused. "I can once again combine the power to two Gem-Knights into one, but this time… they'll become a red-hot warrior capable of taking on all foes! Behold now, I activate the Combination Magic – _Gem-Knight Fusion_ to combine the power of my _Gem-Knight Sapphire _and this! The Flaming Iron Fist – _Gem-Knight Garnet!_"

He revealed the second Gem-Knight he intended to use, displaying a red being whose right hand was completely encompassed in flames. It appeared on the Field for a split second alongside Sapphire, before vanishing into the Fusion card completely.

"When two become one, the true power of the Gemstone is revealed!" Konami chanted. "Protect! Defeat! The fist of Garnet hardens now and becomes a red-hot soul who fights for his comrades! Appear now, and stake your claim, _Gem-Knight Ruby!_"

In response to his words, a shining red warrior with a gallant blue cape appeared, wielding a mighty battle axe far sleeker than Demise's own.

Gem-Knight Ruby – (EARTH/Pyro) – LV6 – (2500/1300)

"Ruby this time?!" Wisteria asked. "And 2500 Attack Points…! It's stronger than my monsters!"

"That's right! And that means that I can destroy either of them with my next attack!" Konami shouted. "Let's do it! _Gem-Knight Ruby_! Attack Wisteria's _Ruin_, and wipe it out completely with your _Flaming Iron Strike!_"

Ruby harrumphed at that, buckling its knees and tightening its grip on its weapon before lunging forward. Ruin's eyes widened as the creature neared, and she raised her own staff to block, but to no avail. Ruby's weapon tore through both her staff and her skin, and Ruin let loose a terrible cry before shattering into a thousand golden shards that rapidly vanished from the Field.

"No! My Ruin!" Wisteria yelled, watching her Life Points drop further.

**KONAMI – 500 LP**

**WISTERIA – 2000 LP**

"Ngh! You…!"

"Heh, and with only 2000 Life Points left, you can't even think about using Demise's effect without losing as well!" Konami declared.

"You… bastard…!" Wisteria snarled. "You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?!"

"I made it up as I went along, not that it's any of _your_ business." Konami retorted. "I'll set a card and End my Turn."

"Ngh…! Then it's my move! I draw!" Wisteria replied.

**TURN FIVE – WISTERIA**

"You may have reduced my Life Points to a mere 2000, but don't think that means that I'm out of this Duel yet! I only need to inflict 500 Points onto you and this Duel is mine, Red Hat!"

"True, as I always say, the Duel's not over until the Final Card is played, and I'm sure your Deck has all kinds of cards to turn this situation around." Konami mused. "Even so… just because you have them, doesn't mean that you'll be able to use them!"

"_What does he mean by that?"_ Wisteria thought to herself. _"I won't be able to use the cards I play? No matter! Surely he's just bluffing again! Besides, with the card I just drew, it won't even matter!"_

"Talk big all you like, it won't change the fact that you've lost this Duel! Certainly, my ability to use Demise's destruction effect may be gone… but that doesn't mean that I can't use another! I activate this! The Spell Card _Lightning_ _Vortex_! It allows me to destroy all face-up monsters you control, by discarding one card from my hand now!"

"I had thought you might try something like that, but I already told you, Wisteria!" Konami shouted, "Just because you have a card, doesn't mean you can _use_ it! I activate my Negation Trap – _Dark Bribe!_"

"Ah! No!" Wisteria shouted.

"That's right!" Konami grinned. "This will allow you draw a new card to add to your hand, _but_, it also negates the activation of your _Lightning Vortex_, and sends it to the Grave!"

Wisteria glowered in outrage upon watching her Spell Card vanish into the abyss. Slowly grabbing her next card, she glanced at it slowly, cursing when she saw what it was.

Ritual Raven.

"I don't _need_ you right now!" she hissed.

"Hmph, looks like the Queen's not so capable after all." Konami mused.

"How dare you!" Wisteria snarled. "I'll beat you yet, worm! This Duel's just getting started-!"

"No! It's finished!" Konami shouted. "You've dragged this on well, Wisteria, but the moment you fell for my bluff this Duel was over! Even more so now that your Final Trick has been denied! It's my Turn now, and I hope you're ready, because I know it for what it is! My _Final Turn!_"

He grabbed his next card dramatically, a shining light engulfing the room as he spoke.

**TURN SIX – KONAMI**

"I activate the Resurrection Magic – Monster Reborn!" Konami shouted, grabbing the card from his hand. "This will allow me to revive my _Gem-Knight Topaz_ in Attack Position! Rise up, hero of lightning!"

A bolt of lightning once more crashed upon the Field, and the golden Knight appeared to stand alongside his brethren.

Gem-Knight Topaz – (EARTH/Thunder) – LV6 – (1800/1800)

"That old thing? What's it going to do?! Only your Ruby has the power to defeat Demise, or have you forgotten that fact?" Wisteria asked.

"Oh I haven't forgotten Wisteria." Konami mused. "In fact, it's part of my plan. Because now I'm activating my _Gem-Knight Ruby's_ special ability! Once per Turn, I can Tribute one "Gem" Monster I control, and _Gem-Knight Ruby_ gains Attack Points equal to the Attack of the Tributed Monster! _Gem-Knight_ _Topaz_ has 1800 Attack Points. That means, by combining his strength with Ruby's, together they'll have a whopping 4300 Attack!"

The two Gem-Knights glanced at each other and nodded, touching their palms together for a brief moment. Topaz suddenly shone brightly, and with a roar of thunder it disappeared, giving all of its electrical strength to the red-hot Pyro that remained.

Gem-Knight Ruby – (EARTH/Pyro) – LV6 – (4300/1300)

"I-Impossible! 4300 Attack Points?! How is that-?!" Wisteria cut herself off in sheer disbelief. "No! I refuse to accept it!"

"So you say, but you'll be forced to confront reality soon enough, Wisteria! But first, I have one more card to play! A card that's been begging for action since the day I arrived at Duel Academy!" Konami shouted, reaching for the card he'd drawn that Turn.

"What?! Another one?! What is it?! What monster are you going to summon now?!" Wisteria asked, taking a step back.

"It may not be strong, but it's certainly not weak! This monster reflects my very soul! Illusive! Direct Attack! I call it forth from my Hand now! Appear in all your glory! Great Guide – _Yata-Garasu!_"

Finally.

The purple bird cawed as it appeared on the Field, littering the room with thousands of similarly colored feathers. Its one leg was revealed to hide two more, revealing its nature as the spirit bird that had guided the emperor so many years ago.

Yata-Garasu – (WIND/Fiend/Spirit) – LV2 – (200/100)

"A weak monster like that?!" Wisteria asked in outrage. "But why-?"

"You're about to find out! Battle Phase!" Konami roared. "_Gem-Knight Ruby! _The world calls! It demands the head of he who brings about the apocalypse! Strike hard! Stronger than ever before! Use the might that Topaz has given you to attack Demise! _Flaming Iron Fist – Lightning Barrage!_"

Ruby's eyes flashed gold, its body filled with the power that Topaz had given him. With a loud cry it charged forward, battle axe in hand. Lightning and Flame swirled and mixed around him as he neared his target, and with a single shattering blow, Ruby's axe tore through the King's being, cleaving him clean in two.

"No… No…!" Wisteria breathed, staggering backward with her eyes wide. "_DEMISE!"_

The King fell, and the room exploded.

_Something you can show, but not see…_

Konami's slowly opened his eyes, the power released at the time of Demise's destruction having nearly taken him out. Yata-Garasu stood firmly in front of him, its wings spread wide as it defended the boy from the worst of the explosion. Blue flames trickled around them, and through it all, Konami could _see._

He could see the walls scorched patterns and black marks.

He could see the door behind him opening, announcing the arrival of several Duelists.

He could see the empty Field that lie ahead of him.

And he could see into the center of it all, where Wisteria stood, unmoving.

**KONAMI – 500 LP**

**WISTERIA – 100 LP**

Yata-Garasu lowered its wings as the worst passed, and slowly, it retook its position on the Field. Neither Konami nor Wisteria said anything. There was no reason to. Wisteria's empty Field… Konami's remaining monster… it was far too obvious how things were going to end.

Even so…

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Wisteria's attention, and she glanced upward, her deadened gaze widening only so much as she looked upon Konami's battered form.

Hate, anger, so many things seemed to pass through his eyes in that single moment, but in the end, it was something else entirely that settled on his face. Something she had never seen before.

Pity.

"You get back!" she hissed, swiping through the dust at him angrily as she backed away. "You stay away from me!"

And yet he continued his approach.

Despite her outrage, despite her _fear_, he continued, until finally, she had nowhere else to run. She stood, back against the wall, and glared at her opponent, daring him to take _one_ more step –

He did.

With a loud cry she swung out at him, an action taken despite knowing the futility of the movement. Konami caught her wrist with ease, and for a brief instant, his rage had returned. Wisteria flinched, bracing herself for the impact.

The impact that never came.

"...It's over, Wisteria." Konami said softly, releasing his grip. "I've won."

His statement hung for several seconds, and upon receiving no response, Konami knew what he had to do.

He took several steps away from the girl, gazing at her with that same, blank expression he'd had ever since defeating Demise. He raised his free hand softly, and far behind him, Yata-Garasu peaked its head.

"Attack."

The command cut through the air like a sharp knife, and immediately the great bird brought its wings down upon Wisteria's face.

**KONAMI – 500 LP**

**WISTERIA – 0 LP**

The Field cracked and fizzled, its power fading now that the Duel had finally come to completion. As if the last of her strength had suddenly faded, Wisteria slumped to the floor, a mixture of disbelief and horror plastered on her face.

"To the victors go the spoils." Konami quoted, approaching the girl once more now that she'd fallen. "That includes everything you are, Wisteria. Including these."

He held up the cards that had mysteriously found their way into his possession after the last attack. It didn't take her long to realize what they were.

Demise, and Advanced Ritual Art.

She bowed her head once more, realizing full well what that meant.

"Well played… my King." She whispered in a hush.

To the Victor go the spoils. That was the rule of North Academy. The strongest Duelist owned them all. There was nothing else to it. Konami had won, and so, he ruled.

"You and I will return to Duel Academy." Konami said finally, having decided upon this long ago. "You will explain what happened there, and be tried by a jury of your peers. What happens from there on, you can decide."

A slow clapping filled the area, and only then did Konami remember that two familiar guests had forced their way in at the final moment.

"Chazz, Headmaster, so you made it after all." Konami greeted.

"What? Headmaster?!" Chazz asked, glancing at the masked man in surprise. "That's who this old geezer is?! And wait, how do you know that anyway?! What's going on here?!"

"Why, your dear friend Konami here just became the rightful King of North Academy." The headmaster explained.

"Oh really? Well I think it's high time for someone else to take the throne!" Chazz started, only to be cut off as the headmaster laid a hand upon his shoulder.

"Now, now Chazz, there's no need to rush things. I promised you Jaden Yuki didn't I? There's no need to worry about becoming the best. Certainly not with what I have in mind."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?!" Chazz snapped. "It better be good, because otherwise there's nothing to stop me from taking on all you slackers at once!" he glanced at the bowing Wisteria for a brief moment before wrinkling his nose in disgust. "No matter how much an elite you might have been!"

"Oh I assure you Chazz what I have in mind will please you. You see, it's just about time for the Yearly Inter-School Match between North Academy and Duel Academy. As it just so happens, I've been thinking of ways to "spice" things up a bit, if you will. And with the Duelists before me, I've finally come to a decision. You three, despite your circumstances, have shown this Academy that you have what it takes to stand at the top. Wisteria, the moment you returned from Duel Academy you took this tower by storm. While I admit your attitude does little to endear you to others, the cards you command were more than enough to put you at the top. Chazz, you defeated nearly fifty of our students on your first day here, including the former King, Czar. That alone would have made you the Number One student in my book, if it weren't for the arrival of your dear friend here, Konami."

Chazz glowered at that, glaring at the Slifer once more. "We're not friends."

The headmaster ignored him, instead turning to face Konami himself.

"It's been quite a journey, hasn't it? Capsizing the ship, finding those cards, Dueling the Top two Duelists of North Academy… one of which saw fit to battle you _twice_. Your life has been rather intriguing, "Red Hat". I can see why Pegasus chose you."

Though Wisteria and Chazz did not understand what he meant by that, Konami did.

"I have no intention of remaining here permanently." Konami reiterated. "After Wisteria confesses to Duel Academy as to what she did. I'm out of here, you realize that, right?"

"Of course," the headmaster agreed, and all was silent for a moment. "But you simply _must_ help us! Duel Academy's taken the win for the past three years! How will I ever receive that wonderful grand prize ever again?!"

The sudden lack of decorum caught them all off guard. Reeling back, Konami sweat-dropped as the man gripped his leg tightly, and he could only imagine that there were tears streaming down the man's face as he spoke.

"Please child! You three are our only hope! I dare not entrust one of you the job! Who knows what the headmaster might do if he finds out we've stolen _three_ of his students?! Only with all three of you do I dare change the event!"

"Ugh…" Konami deadpanned.

"How pathetic. A headmaster groveling at the feet of his students." Chazz complained. "Is this guy _really_ the headmaster of this Academy?"

"Yeah…" Konami sighed, pressing his fingers against his forehead in annoyance. "If I say yes will you get off me?"

"…Maybe."

"Fine. But I'm still returning to Duel Academy after this… Inter-Academy Duel, or whatever you call it. I've missed enough classes as it is, and Crowler's not one to let Slifers slack easily."

"Heh, you've got that right." Chazz smirked.

"Then it's decided!" the man cheered, stepping away and clapping his hands together happily. "You three, "the Divine Trinity", shall compete against three of Duel Academy's strongest first-year students! Oh, and that's what I wanted to tell you, Chazz. One of the representatives they've chosen… is Jaden Yuki."

The man left them with that knowledge, leaving the room with a gleeful laugh. Konami sighed once more, glancing between the shocked Chazz and rather subdued Wisteria. Yet again, it seemed as though he'd gotten himself into some kind of trouble. Even so, he couldn't help but smile.

For while Jaden Yuki had proven himself the Strongest Slifer in his absence, Konami Kodo took solace in the fact that finally, finally…

He was going home.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One**

* * *

**Arc Two – The Strongest Slifer**

* * *

**END**


	22. School X Duel

It was late. The sun had long since begun its descent over the horizon, but even so, the students of Duel Academy were far from tired. Slifers, Ras, and Obelisks alike were busying about, each and every one of them anxiously awaiting the headmaster's inevitable announcement.

Finally, the Inter-School Duel was upon them.

Unlike the previous Duels however, the students were amazed to find that the top student from each dorm would be chosen to compete. It had led to a rather outstanding battle between friends and foes, but in the end, only three could win. And win they did.

Chancellor Sheppard smiled mysteriously from behind his desk, gazing through the window toward the school facilities he could see. It had only been a few days since he'd received word from North Academy's headmaster himself, but it was remarkable what a few hours could do to students when glory and fame was involved.

A shame the older students weren't allowed to join in.

A resounding knock on his door broke his thoughts. Turning, he quickly pushed the button hidden beneath his deck, deactivating the mechanical locking mechanism designed to keep the more… "daring" students away from his possessions.

"Come in, come in!" he spoke cheerfully, throwing on his bright, face-splitting grin. "I've been waiting!"

"Headmaster," Bastion greeted, stepping inside the room alongside Alexis Rhodes. "I heard you wanted to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes, yes! If it isn't young Bastion, and Alexis as well! Though… I thought I'd called for that Yuki boy as well…?" Chancellor Sheppard frowned for a moment.

"Ah! Hang on! I'm right here, just give me a second!" Jaden's voice called through the hallway, and in seconds the door burst open once more, and the great Slifer Slacker stumbled inside the room.

"Hehe… sorry about that!" Jaden apologized, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I got a little caught up in a Duel I was having! Huh? Wait a sec! Bastion, Alexis? What are you guys doing here?"

"That's what we're trying to find out." Bastion explained, glancing at Jaden with a mild frown. "You think you'd have the decency to show up on time for a meeting with the Chancellor of all people."

"H-Huh?! Is that what this is?!" Jaden asked in astonishment. "Oh man! We aren't in some kind of trouble, are we?!"

"Jaden…" Alexis sighed in disappointment. Really, she would have thought he'd have at least known what the meeting was for before coming.

"Ah, rest assured young Jaden, you're not in any trouble tonight." Chancellor Sheppard explained with a smile. "I merely wanted to congratulate the three of you in person."

"Congratulate us?" Bastion asked, a brow raising ever so slightly as he spoke. "Whatever for? I know I partnered with Jaden to complete that assignment Professor Banner had us do, but I hardly think it was worthy of any recognition-"

"Oh, you misunderstand Mr. Misawa!" the Chancellor explained. "This isn't about any test scores or projects you might have been doing! My congratulations stem from something a little more… practical."

"So that's what this is about." Alexis sighed, nodding in understanding. "So it's been decided then?"

"Quite so!" Chancellor Sheppard smiled, glad that at least one of his chosen representatives was quick on the uptake.

"Huh? Hang on, I don't get it!" Jaden complained, "If we're not in trouble… and it's not about classes, what's this about Chancellor?"

"Why, the Inter-School Duel of course! The results just came in, you three shall be representing Duel Academy in the upcoming week! I do hope you'll do our school proud!"

"Wait, what?!" Bastion exclaimed. "You mean I really did it? I've really become a representative?!"

"Indeed. Not that there was any doubt in your case, or Jaden's." the Chancellor admitted softly. "You two are so far ahead of your peers when it comes to _practical_ Dueling that there was never any doubt about your selections. As for the Obelisks, I'll admit it was a rather close match between Alexis here and a this "Yuma" girl I've heard about, but in the end I suppose the Rhodes family just has a bit more Dueling skill in them than most."

Alexis's hand tightened ever so slightly at the words, but it was gone before anyone could catch it.

"So that's it then? We three shall be representing our school against North Academy?" she asked slowly, attempting to keep her composure while she spoke. The subject of family had been a sore spot for her for some time now, and she wasn't eager to go any further on the topic.

"Yes!" the Chancellor said, happy to continue along that train of thought. "I'll admit it first caught me by surprise that we'd be having _three_ representatives instead of one, but when I saw just who North Academy was sending, I was just far too intrigued to deny the motion."

"Speaking of which, who _are_ they sending?" Bastion inquired, folding his arms patiently. "It must be someone good if they managed to change your mind about the event."

"Oh they're more than just good," the Chancellor smiled. "I'm sure they're familiar to you as well. After all, all three of them were students here just a few weeks ago."

The group's eyes widened in surprise.

"No way…? Really?" Jaden asked, quickly taking the lead as the Chancellor slid the names across his desk.

All three of them were surprised by what they saw.

"Wisteria, Chazz, and… Konami?!"

When the news got out to the general public, all hell broke loose.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter One**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Konami defeated Wisteria, and North Academy had changed. Gone was the tense atmosphere of longing and envy, gone were the subdued, slaving faces that had once been plastered on the students' faces. Yes, things had indeed changed, but that did not mean that they had necessarily changed for the _better_, at least, not in regards to our cap-wearing hero.

"Gwuah!" Czar, former ruler of North Academy cried, his body crashing into the dirt as he lost yet another Duel with a member of the headmaster's "Divine Trinity".

Ever since the announcement had been made the students had been coming out of the woodworks to challenge one, if not all of them, attempting to prove their own worth by defeating one of the Top Three. Unfortunately for Konami, since Wisteria had taken to avoiding nearly everyone since the announcement, and due to the fact that Chazz was… _Chazz_, that meant that he had been left with a majority of the riffraff.

Chazz had laughed at him, deeming it little more than payback for the time Konami had left _him_ to face the crowd alone.

Sighing at the thought of his elitist associate, Konami lowered his Duel Disk and extended a hand to the fallen Czar.

"You alright there? I might've gone a little overboard with that last attack-"

Czar took the offered hand quickly, pulling himself back to his feet while gazing upon Konami with wide eyes.

"You… You were worried…? About _me_?"

"Uh… yeah? I guess." Konami said awkwardly, wondering just why Czar looked so… happy.

As tears of joy began to pool in the bulky man's eyes Konami cursed, realizing what the problem was. He should have known better, now he would be forced to deal with the _other_ problem that had been following him ever since defeating Wisteria.

The students' gratitude.

Wisteria's reign had been cruel and diabolical, resulting in her gaining the ire of more than just a few students. When word got out that she had finally been overthrown, it was only natural for the students to rejoice, hailing their new King as some kind of savior. It was rather unsettling, to be honest.

"T-To think that the King would be such a kind person…!" Czar cried, covering his eyes to hide his shame. "I… Thank you, I must, I must go now, and spread tales of your worry for a lowly peon such as myself!"

"Uh… right. You uh… you go do that." Konami said, grateful that he wouldn't have to put up with the crying man much longer.

As Czar ran off, Konami sighed, shaking his head in distaste. Really, it wasn't as if he was _trying_ to be a nice guy. Hell, his victory over Wisteria didn't even have anything to do with how she was treating the students of North Academy. To be honest, he couldn't have cared less.

Chazz, ever the elite, had been watching the scene from across the street. As usual, that arrogant smirk was on his face, something that had only served to drive Konami insane the past few days.

"Well, well, if it isn't your Majesty in the flesh!" Chazz greeted, crossing the street to indulge in his daily chat with Konami. "Been keeping a tight chain on your subjects?"

"Hardly." Konami drawled. "You know as well as I do that they've taken to Dueling me whenever they can. No thanks to you, or Wisteria, for that matter."

"You brought it on yourself, Red Hat!" Chazz grinned, his eyes gleaming with his usual arrogance. "I seem to remember someone leaving _the Chazz _behind to fend for himself as well, and I got out of it just fine!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Konami groaned, waving the boy off. "No need to keep yapping about it two weeks after the fact Chazz. And here I thought the elite were above such petty grudges."

"Heh, you'd think so, wouldn't you?" Chazz asked, a knowing smirk coming upon his face. "But then, I don't seem to be the only elite who has a bone to pick with you, am I Konami?"

Sighing, the Slifer glanced away, knowing the Princeton's words to be true. Ever since that fateful day in the tower, Wisteria had been forced to live like the peons she'd once ruled over. It was a humiliating experience for her no doubt, one that did little to curb the growing hate she fostered for the red-capped Slifer.

Every day Konami wondered whether or not he'd wake up to find her standing over him with a knife of some sort. Still, it had been two weeks, and seeing as he was still alive, and all in one piece, he doubted she'd be trying anything anytime soon. As for her butler… well, that was another story entirely.

As it turned out, the only reason Masakazu was allowed on campus was due to the privileges Wisteria had as the top-ranking student. Now that she had been dethroned, so too was Masakazu forced to vacate the premises. Konami suspected there was more to it than that, as the headmaster seemed to share in a great deal of dislike for the man himself. Still, Konami couldn't really find it within himself to care, much less fix the problem. He _had_ been rather brutalized by the old man after all, and while it could be said that he didn't exactly hold a grudge, Konami certainly wasn't about to go out of his way to help the man out either.

A sudden chuckle from Chazz interrupted Konami's thoughts, and the Slifer quickly found himself back in the present, staring at the former Obelisk's smirking face.

"You look a little dazed there, Red Hat!" Chazz said. "Thinking about that little minx of yours?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Konami replied, turning to make his way toward the cafeteria. "What Wisteria does on her own time isn't any of my business."

"Oh? Who said I was talking about Wisteria?" Chazz asked, attempting to catch Konami off guard.

Unfortunately for him, the Slifer was already prepared.

"The meaning was there." Konami said easily, not missing a beat. "Besides, who else would you be talking about? It's not as if there are any other girls on this island, unless you have something you want to tell me Chazz."

"W-What was that?!" the Princeton yelled, his fist trembling in outrage. "Just what do you think you're implying?!"

"Doth my eye deceive me?" Konami asked archaically, "Could it be? That this Prince is actually a Princess?"

Chazz began to tremble in outrage at the words. Swiftly, he took a menacing step forward, glaring at Konami with all the hate he could muster. "What was that, slacker?! You callin' me a woman?!"

The two stared at each other for several seconds, each wondering what the other would say. Finally, Konami broke.

"Yes."

He turned and ran, disappearing into the Academy Mess Hall as Chazz let loose a hideous scream.

"_GET BACK HERE, RED HAT!_"

Konami snorted at the command, wondering just why in the hell Chazz thought he'd do that. It wasn't as if the Obelisk had anything to hold over him, and given the status of their… _association_, Konami felt it best that the Princeton remembered he wasn't the only one capable of pulling one over on an individual. Of course, these thoughts prevented Konami from understanding the state of his surroundings, and as a result…

"Oof!"

"Ow!"

…it was inevitable he'd wind up in an unfavorable situation.

Two bodies hit the floor, and mild moans and groans emerged from both their lips.

Rubbing his rear in discomfort, Konami glanced upward, aiming to discover just who it was he'd ran into. It hadn't been anyone big, he knew. He simply wasn't in enough pain for that to be the case, but more importantly, that light sensation he felt… it had to have been someone who weighed even less than he did!

A shame he was right, for once.

"How annoying! Don't you know how to watch where you're going?!" a feminine voice snapped at him angrily, and Konami's heart skipped a beat.

He locked eyes with his "victim", exchange a quick glare with the girl upon confirming his suspicions.

"Oh, _you_!" Wisteria hissed with the upmost loathing and distaste she could put into her words.

Konami's expression drooped, and he raised a hand slowly in a mild, unenthusiastic greeting.

"Wisteria." He said, waving his hand softly. "Nice to see you too."

"Was ruining me not enough for you, _King_? Must you resort to physical abuse now as well?!" Wisteria scowled, dusting herself off before making to stand.

Konami followed her. "Oh calm down, it was an accident. I'm not exactly trying to cross paths with you either, you know."

"As well you shouldn't!" Wisteria snapped. "I may have to refer to your judgment in all things for time being, _King_, but that is where our association shall end!"

"Fine by me, like I was telling Chazz earlier, as long as you don't back out of our deal what you do is none of my business." Konami agreed. "Besides, after the Inter-School Duel, it'd probably be for the best if we stayed away from each other."

Wisteria's eyes narrowed at the tone, and she folded her arms impatiently. "If only it were that simple…" she muttered beneath her breath, before glaring at Konami once more. "Get out of my way!" she snapped, pushing past him into the cafeteria.

Konami sighed as he watched her leave. At least she looked healthy, he supposed. It wouldn't look good for his case if he returned with a worn and beaten female. Still, Wisteria's physical abuse comment was rather strange. Sure, he knew the girl was angry with him, but it was just a bump! Rarely did anyone he ran into accuse him of such things, in fact, that might've been the very first time! It made him wonder… was there more to Wisteria's words than she was letting on? He quickly shook his head, deeming that that wasn't the case. After all, even the students of North Academy couldn't have been _that_ stupid. The Headmaster would've put them in their place in an instant!

Still…

Konami groaned, pressing his fingers against his forehead in annoyance. "You don't owe her anything, Konami. It might even be good to let her see how I suffered for a bit." He told himself bitterly.

"_Aw, there's no need to be so uptight about it Konami!"_ a visage of Jaden Yuki said on his right. _"You can keep an eye on her if you really want to! It's not like anyone will hold it against you-!"_

"_Stop right there, Slacker!"_ a visage of Chazz Princeton interrupted, emerging on Konami's left. _"Red Hat here doesn't need to do anything! An elite's only needs to look out for the elite! The little people can just get out the way!"_

"_But… wasn't it you who called Wisteria an elite?"_ Konami couldn't help but think.

"…_Not anymore." _The Chazz said forebodingly.

"_Well I for one think that investigating her claim is the only rational course of action!"_ a Bastion said suddenly, appearing overhead.

"Okay, that's enough." Konami said, waving them all away. "I have more than enough to worry about without fake versions of _you three_ taking over my mind. I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions!"

"…and talking to yourself, it seems." The Headmaster said, appearing behind Konami in dramatic fashion.

The Slifer flinched, nearly tripping over his feet at the man's sudden appearance.

"Headmaster!" he exclaimed, glancing at the man in surprise. "Why're you-?"

The man simply smiled mysteriously. Gone was his scuba mask, long since abandoned after ensuring the presence of his "Divine Trinity". He gazed upon Konami strangely, before clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder and guiding him into the cafeteria.

"It's time." he explained. "The event has been confirmed, and the Duelists have been chosen. We leave at nightfall, it takes time to reach Duel Academy after all."

"Duel Academy? You're talking about the Inter-School Duel, right?" Konami inquired. "Who are they then? The other Duelists I mean. I know you told Chazz that Jaden was competing… who are the other two?"

"The top Duelists of the Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue Dorms of course!" the headmaster laughed. "Just as we're using our best Duelists, so too did Chancellor Sheppard feel the need to use theirs. Representing Ra is an intelligent child by the name of Bastion Misawa, and as for Obelisk Blue… one Alexis Rhodes. Do you know of them?"

"Bastion and Alexis? Yeah." Konami nodded.

That knowledge served to brighten the man's smile, if only by a bit.

"That's good, yes, very good…" he said. "Now for the real question... Can you win?"

The question caught Konami off guard. Could he, in fact, win? Jaden he had never fought, but he was certain that Chazz was far more interested in dueling him anyway. Alexis too, was a mystery, and while the boy was not averse to challenging her, his eyes were locked on a more… _personal_… battle.

Bastion.

His friend. His foe. His comrade. His _rival_. Surely he would want a rematch, a third match, to determine which of them was truly the better Duelist. With that in mind, Konami knew the question had changed. No longer was it "can you win?" but rather, "_Can you win against Bastion?"_

Konami remained silent for an additional moment.

"Yes." He decided. "Yes I can."

The headmaster nodded, his smile brightening tenfold as he turned and left Konami to his own devices. With a frown, the boy watched as the man made his way across the room to speak with Wisteria, no doubt to converse about similar topics. Konami sighed, adjusting his cap softly before grabbing a lunch tray.

"Bastion huh…?" he thought aloud. "Guess I'll see you soon."

He grabbed a plate of North Academy's famed Mystery Meat, and prepared himself for the hell known as lunch.

**-GX-**

**Konami ate his meal sparingly, and upon finishing, returned to his room to pack what little things he had. Before long, the time of departure was upon him…**

**-GX-**

Never let it be said that a man bawling never caught Konami by surprise. While he could certainly see someone like Syrus partaking in such a thing, the young man before him was a student of North Academy! A student, who like all the others, lived, breathed, and preached Superiority! Why was he crying?!

As he gazed upon the young man awkwardly, a sudden voice called out from the crowd that was to accompany him and the others to Duel Academy.

"Now, Lucien, what did we say about showing your tears?" Czar, _of all people_, said, pressing through the crowd to lay a supportive hand upon the boy's shoulder.

"But Czar…" the familiar, yet unfamiliar teen wailed. "Everyone else gets to go!"

"And so will you, next year, when you break the Top 100!" Czar shouted boisterously.

Konami stared at the scene with a mild degree of understanding. So the boy was just upset that he was one of the few who were forced to stay behind. Still, Konami knew he had seen the boy somewhere before, he just couldn't put his finger on where…

_It's probably because he's not an important character,_ some part of him thought.

"Come along, young Duelists!" the headmaster's voice called out over the crowd's many conversations. "The submarine won't wait forever! That includes you Konami! We can't leave without one of our precious Trinity after all!"

Konami sighed. The headmaster was still going on about that? Hadn't he seen that it caused nothing but trouble…? Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Konami turned, stepping onto the platform that led to the sub's sole entrance.

Wisteria and Chazz were already instead, both of them glaring at the Slifer for their own reasons. Wisteria, Konami expected. They'd been on bad terms during their entire stay, after all, but Chazz?

A wrinkle in the boy's nose caught Konami's attention, and immediately he had a suspicion as to what the problem was.

_Must still be upset about that Princess comment I made,_ Konami thought.

The rest of the students soon boarded, and with a loud grind the lid to the submarine clamped shut, sealing them securely beneath the deck.

"Now then, I suppose I should explain a few things before we get moving." The headmaster said, pushing through the tightly knit crowd to make his way to the front. "As many of you already know, there is much at stake in the coming weeks. Ordinarily we'd just be there for a day and be done with it, but due to a few changes in the event schedule you may find our return to North Academy a bit… delayed."

The crowd began to murmur with one another at the revelation, each of them wondering just what the Chancellor meant by that. Konami too, found himself curious. He had been under the impression that the Duels would simply be tied together in a single day, and he'd be free to return to Duel Academy the next. Was that not to be the case? At any rate, Chazz nor Wisteria seemed concerned about it, but then, neither of them really _wanted_ to go back, did they?

"Now I know what you're thinking, and no, it's nothing serious." The headmaster chuckled. "My good friend Chancellor Sheppard just wanted to… drag things out a bit, so to speak. The Inter-School Duel, or _Duels_, rather, will be taking place over a week-long event hosted at Duel Academy. I don't know what the Chancellor plans to do with this time, but rest assured, we will not return here empty handed!"

The crowd roared in approval at the headmaster's words.

"Far too long has North Academy played second-fiddle to our dear friends of D.A.! Far too long have we been beaten again and again, ignorant to the fabled prize that awaits the glorious victor!" the headmaster roared, energizing the crowd further. "But fear not, for our time has finally come!"

Konami sighed, realizing that at that exact moment, three lights had rained down upon his, Chazz's, and Wisteria's person.

"Behold," the headmaster continued, "I give you our Divine Trinity; the best Duelists North Academy has to offer! These three, despite their flaws and prejudice, clawed their way to the top of the food chain, and now promise to deliver us Victory from the jaws of Defeat!"

"Heh, that's right." Chazz smirked, basking in the light gloriously. "Those slackers won't know what hit em!"

_Glad to see at least one of us is enjoying this,_ Konami thought.

"I couldn't have said it better myself." The headmaster agreed, turning on his heel to face the horde of students behind the controls. "Now, onward! Let us make our way to Duel Academy, where our eternal rivals await! Let us seize our glory!"

The submarine lurched forward, and as they disembarked from the icy plains of North Academy, Konami could make out the distinct war cries of the surrounding students.

"_Hoo Hoo Rah!"_

"_Hoorah!"_

"_Hoo Hoo Rah!"_

"_Hoorah!"_

For the briefest of moments, his eyes steeled, and he felt at one with these people.

The Inter-School Duel…

Finally, its time drew near.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two**

* * *

"They're on their way."

It was late once more. Again, Chancellor Sheppard sat patiently in his office, accompanied by a mysterious guest.

"What a fool you've been, Sheppard. Now they come, intending to use our own students against us."

"An error on Headmaster Foster's part. We shall have them back by the week's end." Sheppard retorted.

"And if we do not?"

"Then all is lost. The Keys need Guardians, and we require two more."

"What of the Truesdale boy and Huffington child? They are friends of Yuki, are they not?"

"But they are weak, unsure of themselves. The Keys will be gone the moment they are received!"

"Then it must be Princeton and Kodo." The mysterious voice understood.

"…Yes."

"Your faith in them is astounding, old friend. Much like your faith in the others. What makes you sure they will return? From what I hear, North Academy has treated them far kinder than your students have."

"Then we must simply remind them what they have lost."

"…and the Fujiwara girl?" the voice asked, amused.

Chancellor Sheppard rubbed his chin in deep thought before he replied.

"Do with her... what you will."

* * *

**END**


	23. No Fans X Princeton Plans

Konami Kodo hated storms.

They were cold and murky, and you've already heard this part haven't you?

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Two**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

The sound of falling rain could be heard pattering against the cold, metal exterior of Headmaster Foster's submarine. It had been some time since they'd emerged from the depths of the icy sea, and the crowd had grown remarkably quiet. Even Chazz, whom Konami thought would never stop yapping, had managed to silence himself upon witnessing the sudden, tense atmosphere.

Headmaster Foster quietly directed the students piloting the craft toward the docks of Duel Academy, and as a crack of thunder roared overhead, Konami remembered the first time he stepped foot on the island.

"_It was raining then too, wasn't it?"_ he thought, _"Seems I have a habit of arriving on bad days."_

He glanced around the room quietly, studying the faces many of his fellow students wore. Konami thought it was strange how not one of them looked at all concerned about the severity of the storm raging outside, but recalling that they were expected to spend a majority of their year in the ice cold artic, he supposed that the fresh storm roaring overhead was a welcome change. The submarine lurched just as he had finished his thought, and in the corner of his eye Konami could make out the students in the control room rising from their seats.

So the job was done. They were successfully docked at the pier. No, that wasn't quite right. There was something far more important that had to be said. And that was… the fact that somehow, some_way_, they had successfully reached Duel Academy intact.

It had been quite the trying ride, even for Konami. The students had taken to singing cheerful songs a majority of the trip, and while that alone was not enough to earn the boy's ire, the tight space and endless noise was more than enough to grate on his nerves. It was almost as if he'd been traveling with an army of Jaden, as if one of the cheerful Slifer wasn't enough.

"Alright," the headmaster declared, interrupting Konami's line of thought, "we're finally here… Duel Academy, the final stage!"

"_The only stage…"_ Konami amended in his head.

"Let us not forget what we spoke of on our way here!" the headmaster continued, ignorant to the boy's thoughts. "We may be faced with our most powerful rivals, but so too do we have the most powerful Duelists! Line up now, and prepare to make history!"

The students of North Academy again cheered, and quickly began to form a pair of lines.

"Yes… Yes… No, Chazz go to the front. Very good, Konami, Wisteria, you too…" the headmaster said, guiding the students into their proper places. "Perfect! Now young Duelists, prepare yourselves! The time is upon us! Let us seize your glory!"

"_Someone's been watching a little too much 300." _Konami thought.

Nonetheless, the crowd roared, and one by one they emerged from the submarine, slamming their feet down upon the slick, soaked concrete of Duel Academy's pier. As Konami and the other members of the "Divine Trinity" emerged from the craft, a flash of lightning cracked overhead, drawing an arrogant laugh from Chazz.

"That's right, Duel Academy! The Chazz has returned!" he shouted to the skies, only to be greeted with another flash of lightning. "This must be a sign! A sign that it's finally time for me to take my place as Manjoume Thunder!"

Konami had enough of that, and quickly slapped Chazz on the back roughly, shoving him forward ever so slightly. "Settle down there lightning-head, you already have a catch phrase, remember? Or is "Chazz it up" just not jazzy enough for you anymore?"

"Quiet you!" Chazz snapped back, throwing his fist around in annoyance. "You're just jealous that _you_ don't have a catch phrase!"

"I don't need one." Konami explained. "_I_ have Final Turn."

"You stole that from Vanguard and you know it!"

"Ah, Mr. Princeton, Mr. Kodo, how good it is to see you again, though I wish it could be under kinder circumstances." A voice called from behind them, interrupting their argument.

Raising their brows the two turned, coming face-to-face with the one man they'd never expected to address them directly.

"Chancellor Sheppard!"

"What are _you_ doing here?!" was Chazz's less than polite reply.

"Well you don't expect me to leave North Academy to find their own way to the Main Hall do you?" the man asked with a kind laugh. "I suppose I _could_ have had Dr. Crowler do this, but given the delicacy required in situations such as these, I figured it'd be best if I handled it myself."

"You still employ that old lady of a man?" Headmaster Foster asked, stepping through the crowd to glare at the Chancellor mockingly. "I should have known your faculty wouldn't be up to snuff!"

"It's good to see you too, old friend!" Sheppard laughed, moving forward to wrap an arm around Foster's neck as if they were old pals. "Come, let me show you to the stadium! We've already prepared the starting celebrations!"

"…get your hands off me." Headmaster Foster mumbled weakly, though he made no move to remove them himself.

Konami stared at the scene in surprise. Those two… they reminded him of an old Jaden and Chazz. In fact, he was certain that given a few years, they'd be acting in the exact same way.

"What are you daydreaming about slacker?!" Chazz asked, snapping Konami back to reality. "We're gonna leave you behind!"

"Ah, right!" Konami called after them, quickly making his way back to the front of the crowd.

"So, how has North Academy been treating you?" the Chancellor asked, turning to face his three former students. "I must admit I was rather surprised when I heard it was you three Headmaster Foster had chosen to represent the school. You must have been quite busy, getting ahead of your peers like that."

"Ha! As if!" Chazz smirked. "It only took a day for me to teach those punks whose top dog! The fact that these two slackers are the ones accompanying me is just luck on their part, count on it!"

"I bet that's what you'd like people to believe, isn't it?" Wisteria scowled, "But despite your claims, I seem to remember that these two _slackers_ are still higher up on the food chain that you are, worm!"

Chancellor Sheppard laughed at that, before turning to Konami with a raised brow. "Is that true?"

"Maybe," Konami shrugged, not particularly caring. "I never actually bothered to look at the official rankings, though I suppose that if it's _Wisteria_ claiming it…"

He felt a sudden tightness on his collar, and he glanced to his side to find Wisteria threatening to throttle him angrily.

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?!" she hissed quietly.

"Relax," Konami said. "I'm just saying that since you like to lord yourself over people so much, it's likely that anything you say regarding _rankings_ is likely to be true." he was silent for a moment before narrowing his eyes in mild distaste. "Too bad the same can't be said for anything else that comes out your mouth."

"Why you-!"

"_Enough!_" Headmaster Foster said, separating the two before anything more could be said or done. "You are both representatives of North Academy, and I expect you to act as such!" he let his words settle in the air for a moment, before leaning down to whisper at them quietly. "You mustn't fight while on enemy territory. Leave it for when you are away from prying ears. Wisteria, you know the rankings. Don't forget your own place."

The girl's fists tightened subtly, something that Konami didn't miss.

"Of course, Headmaster." she ground out weakly, suppressing her rage as best she could.

Headmaster Foster nodded tightly, and she glared at Konami once more.

"_King._" She hissed, bowing her head a small degree before trudging back toward Chazz.

Konami sighed, before turning his head to watch Foster rejoin Chancellor Sheppard in the front.

"My apologies, Chancellor. You know how freshman can get."

"Yes," Sheppard agreed, the twinkle in his eyes never fading. "You must have your work cut out for you Foster, dealing with such rowdy students."

"At times, but I must admit that it's always an adventure."

Again, a chuckle escaped from Sheppard's lips. "I know the feeling."

Their pace soon slowed, and Konami glanced upward, realizing that they had finally arrived at the Main Hall. It had been some time since he'd been there last, and even now he could remember the cold, cruel gazes of his fellow classmates.

How would they react now, knowing that he'd returned wearing the banner of their greatest rival? He shook his head quickly, driving the thought from his mind. He had already subdued Wisteria, and she'd promised to follow through on their agreement. But given the way she was acting… could she really be trusted?

He sighed. It seemed they'd find out soon enough.

Hearing the footsteps regain speed after several moments, Konami guessed that he must have missed whatever rousing speech Headmaster Foster had given his students. He found himself being pushed forward along with the rest of trio, and as they made their way into the halls of the building, the world turned black.

The sound of shuffling footsteps could be heard, and as his eyes adjusted to account for the lack of light, Konami soon understood that they were being led into the large auditorium that hadn't seen use the entire school year.

Headmaster Foster guided each of them inside quickly. Chazz was the first to enter, soon followed by Konami and Wisteria respectively.

"Tch, how long is gonna stay dark like this?" Chazz grumbled softly.

Konami turned, opening his mouth to reply only to find he was beaten to the punch.

"Aw, what's the matter? Does the Chazz need his wittle night light?" Wisteria mocked.

"Quiet!" Headmaster Foster hissed from behind them. "The ceremony is about to begin."

"I'll get you for that, Fujiwara." Chazz promised, only to silence himself as Foster whacked him on the back of the head.

No sooner did the strange mumbling and whispering in the auditorium settle did a light emerge on the stage, revealing Chancellor Sheppard behind a podium. He leaned forward slightly, greeting everyone with a winning smile before checking to ensure the microphone was working.

"Ahem, greetings everyone! How long has it been since I've stood before you like this? It must have been… ah yes! The Entrance Ceremony! Of course, our friends from North Academy weren't here for that wonderful display!"

The crowd whispered and murmured at that, and briefly Konami wondered if he'd missed something humorous.

"Anyway, I digress." Chancellor Sheppard coughed, attempting to get back on track. "Welcome, to the annual Inter-School Duels!"

The crowd cheered and roared at the words, eager that things were finally about to begin.

"Now I know what you're all thinking." Sheppard continued. "Duels? Yes, plural. As our older students already know, ordinarily, there would only be one Duel for the Inter-School Match, but this year, Headmaster Foster and I decided to… change things up a bit. After all, why have one Duel… when you can have three instead?!"

The crowd's cheers only increased. The idea of three Duels, all of which involving the strongest freshman of their respective Academies was something that no one wanted to miss.

"Spread out over the week we shall witness a single Duel every other day." Sheppard explained. "Tomorrow shall be the first, followed by a period of rest, in which you all will be free to converse with our fine friends from North Academy! On Wednesday the second Duel shall occur, and so forth. I hope you all have fun these next few days, for remember, while Dueling is important, so too is strengthening the bonds between comrades!" the man paused there, glancing back to examine the six Duelists behind him, shrouded in the darkness. "Well then, I suppose I've been talking long enough. I know what you've all been waiting on, so without a further ado, it's time I revealed our lovely competitors!"

Konami squirmed. He wasn't sure that lovely was the best term to describe him with, much less Chazz or the other males he knew were participating.

"Representing Duel Academy, and the fine institution of Slifer Red… Jaden Yuki!" Chancellor Sheppard shouted, a light appearing on the stage and revealing the grinning boy.

He waved lightly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly with that ever cheerful expression. Konami could _feel_ the hate rolling off Chazz beside him.

"Representing Duel Academy, and the intellectual Ra Yellow… Bastion Misawa!" the Chancellor continued, prompting another light to emerge.

Bastion stood quietly, his arms folded patiently as he gazed out across the crowd. For the briefest of moments Konami thought he saw his eyes flicker towards him, and his lip curl into a friendly smirk.

Smart bastard.

"And representing Duel Academy's Obelisk Blue… our very own Alexis Rhodes!" the Chancellor finished, the final light on the Duel Academy side of the stage glowing and revealing the well-known female.

"Oh Alexis, I knew you had it in you!" Chazz whispered lovingly from the shadows.

Konami sighed. Well, at least a lovesick Chazz was better than a hateful Chazz. At least for the time being…

The crowd cheered and whistled at the three Duel Academy Representatives, though Konami could tell that a majority of North Academy's cheers were directed only at Alexis. Well, he supposed it was expected. What with Wisteria being the only female among their peers… it wasn't as if they had much experience with the opposite sex, and what little they did have wasn't likely to have been any good.

The Chancellor raised his hand to placate the crowd, waiting until the noise had died down before moving to continue.

"I'm glad to see you hold your peers in such high esteem!" the man laughed. "But let us not forget those who have risked just as much, if not more, to be here today! I'm sure you will remember some, if not all of their faces! First, the young yet prideful-"

"Ahem," Headmaster Foster interrupted politely, appearing beside the podium alongside Chancellor Sheppard. "Forgive me for interrupting Chancellor, but if I may, I do believe it should _my_ right to introduce my students. They are no longer under your jurisdiction after all."

"Oh? Well, I suppose there's no problem with that." Sheppard agreed, the smile on his face faltering somewhat. "Very well, I'll leave it to you."

"Quite," Headmaster Foster repeated, taking hold of the mic and turning toward the crowd. "Greetings, Duel Academy! I am Headmaster Foster, the head of North Academy! Chancellor Sheppard here has done a fine job introducing Duel Academy's own representatives, and to be honest, I'm worried whether or not I'll be able to follow such… applause." He eyed Alexis warily at that point, knowing full well she had drawn the most of it. "Nonetheless, it is my duty and job to do so, so without further ado, I shall present to you North Academy's very own representatives!"

"First, the black prince whose strength knows no bounds! His powerful courage is bested only by his burning desire to prove that yes, lightning _can_ strike twice! I give you, the first of three! The strong, the courageous, _Chazz Princeton!_"

The light shone down upon the former Obelisk Prince, and immediately North Academy began to cheer. So too did Duel Academy, though there was far less noise than before. Many of them in fact seemed to be glancing at one another curiously. They had known that Chazz had fled the Academy of course, but to find him in the arms of the enemy…? It was a rather strange sight, for most. Regardless, Headmaster Foster paid no heed to their thoughts, quickly moving to introduce the second member of his Divine Trinity.

"Next, the child who burns through all in her path! She can twist and change events as she sees fit to grasp the light of victory! Behold, the second of three! The slick, the smooth, _Wisteria Fujiwara!_"

The cheers died down from Duel Academy, leaving only North Academy to root for their idol. It was to be expected. Wisteria's lack of a decent reputation had soured Duel Academy's views, and knowing that she had played a part in Kami's less than fortunate situation did not help matters. Konami sighed at that, knowing it was only going to get worse.

"And finally…" Foster continued, eager to complete his speech. "The diamond in the rough who's endurance knows no end! His sheer persistence grants him the strength to see things through, in both Duels and in Life! I reveal to you now, the third of three! The last to appear, the first to succeed, the King of the North, _Konami Kodo!_"

The lights above Konami flickered on, and for the briefest of moments he found himself blinded. The noise had died down to a hushed whisper, and with good reason. All of Duel Academy knew who he was, hell, they had ran him out not that long ago!

North Academy cheered for their own as was expected, but as their own cries died down, a small, solemn question could be heard escaping the lips from a young Ra Yellow amongst the crowd.

"…Is this a joke?"

One question. That was all it took to break the camel's back. The moment the words had been spoken Konami knew there was no going back, and all hell broke loose.

"What are _they_ doing here?!"

"How in the world did you accept them as the representatives?!"

"They're just gonna cause trouble!"

The cheers of Duel Academy swiftly turned into jeers and insults, no doubt directed at Konami and Wisteria's person. The former Slifer sighed, having expected such a reception. It seemed as though Wisteria had expected similar, given the uncaring expression that had solidified itself upon her face.

Chazz though… well, Chazz was never one to take things laying down. Before the Chancellor could even begin to speak, the Princeton had swept forward, snatching the microphone from the aged man's hands.

"Alright losers, listen up! I may not know what you've got against me or these two slackers here," he snapped, pointing over his shoulder toward his companions, "but I'm not gonna stand for it anymore! You may not like us, but rest assured the sentiment is returned! So we screwed around and messed with your oh-so-precious popularity whore! Who cares! We're here to Chazz things up, and by God we will have our respect!" a flash of thunder roared above the glass ceiling, and once again Manjoume Thunder made himself known.

The crowd grew silent at Chazz's speech, more in the fact that it was Chazz who had given it more than anything else. Konami face-palmed, wondering why he had to be so… "Chazzy" about it. North Academy of course, ate it right up.

"_Chazz it up!"_

"_Chazz it up!"_

"Chazz it up indeed!" Chancellor Sheppard agreed, subtly removing the microphone from Chazz's hands. "As Mr. Princeton has said, the students of North Academy are our honored guests, and we are to treat them as such. If I find that any of you have treated them in a less than respectable manner, rest assured that we _will _have words. Am I understood?" he asked slowly, earning small, subdued nods from his many students.

From the sidelines Headmaster Foster laughed.

"And he says _I_ have problems with my students…"

"Very good. Then, as the Chancellor of Duel Academy, let me issue one final welcome to our friends, and once more, let the Inter-School Duels… commence!"

**-GX-**

**The ceremony came to a close, and after another warning and some heartfelt cheer, Chancellor Sheppard released the students to do as they pleased for the rest of the evening. The Representatives on the other hand…**

**-GX-**

Konami stood quietly in the faculty break room. While ordinarily off-limits to students, Chancellor Sheppard had seen fit to allow the representatives entry for the time being, if only to grant a temporary reprieve from the public's eye.

The Chancellor would never know just how appreciative Konami was of his decision.

"Well, that certainly could have gone better." Wisteria spoke first, tossing a hand through her hair. "My, this place really _has_ gone to the dogs."

"What, were you expecting a warmer welcome?" Konami asked. "They're all still upset about Kami. It was bad enough when it was just me, seeing both of us here at once though… it just brought back all the bad feelings they had."

"Hmph, I don't see why they have any bad feelings at all!" Wisteria snapped. "You realize that it wasn't as if Kami was a Saint herself? She must have bullied and antagonized at least half the school on her own, and that was _without_ whatever… manipulations I may or may not have used on her!"

"Oh don't beat around the bush." Konami said. "We all know you manipulated her, some are just curious as to _how_ much influence you actually had. Besides, I've had some time to think on it, and I'm pretty sure that Kami's humiliation is only half the problem. By all means, she was the face of the Obelisk Blue Girl's Dorm. Her association with Chazz, no matter how mild," he added upon seeing Wisteria's look, "only helped solidify her position in everyone's eyes. Then, along comes some mysterious Slifer Red, who not only defeats her, but apparently whisks away her life as well. It's a bit much for the arrogant to take in. And coupled with the few who had an _unhealthy_ obsession with her, well…"

"Well I for one think you've been thinking on it too much!" Wisteria scowled, folding her arms impatiently. "To think that they would act out in such a way, against the Chancellor and Headmaster themselves, it's simply illogical!"

"You're illogical." Konami muttered darkly.

"What was that?" Wisteria inquired nastily.

"Tsk…" Konami grunted, turning his head from the girl in distaste. "Chazz would have agreed with me."

"Where is dear _Manjoume_ anyway?" Wisteria asked. "I haven't seen him since that pathetic little speech of his! What did he expect to do, win the crowd over with words?"

"It's more than you did." Konami retorted, standing up for his friend? Was Chazz a friend? Konami wasn't quite sure, but he figured he could think more on that later.

"What would you have me do? Come out right then and make some heartfelt speech of how everything was just a big misunderstanding and I was behind everything? Please, I may have agreed to come clean, Konami-_sama,_" she used the suffix mockingly, "but I will do so when I am good and ready!"

"Well you shouldn't wait too long," Konami warned, "or there's no telling what might happen."

Wisteria bristled. "Was that a threat?"

The two stared at each other silently for several moments. Finally, Konami stood, breaking his stare to move toward the door.

"I'm gonna go look for Chazz. He's been gone a while now, and I'm getting worried."

"You do that," Wisteria muttered. "I on the other hand will be staying right here, thank you very much. Maybe I'll make myself some hot coffee, you'll have to find your own I'm afraid."

Opening the door, Konami quickly formulated a reply.

"Maybe I will."

He closed the door quietly behind him, (he didn't want damage the fine gift the Chancellor had given him after all) and walked down the hall. When he was certain he was out of Wisteria's earshot, he cursed.

"Insufferable hag! "_I'll do so when I'm good and ready!"_" he mocked, stepping briskly through the hall. "Bah! Who needs her?! Toss her to the hounds… see how long she lasts till she's panting like a- No, no… shouldn't go there, this is school environment!"

"…What do you mean it's gonna be broadcasted?!" Chazz's voice roared through the wall, catching Konami by surprise.

The former Slifer stumbled at the sudden shout, and quickly glanced inside the room from which the voice had emerged. Unsurprisingly, Chazz was inside, though what Konami _didn't _expect was that Chazz would be accompanied by a pair of well-dressed guests.

"You set this up, didn't you?!" Chazz accused, glaring at the pair of businessmen with all his might.

"Why of course we did! We need the world to see that you're on your way to becoming Duel Monsters' Best!" the taller of the pair explained.

Interestingly, Konami realized that both he and his partner looked rather similar to Chazz, if only older and a tad more… _refined._ He shook his head, paying close attention to what the man was saying.

"It's all part of the plan."

"Yeah, yeah," Chazz grumbled, evidently knowing just what this "plan" entailed.

"Look!" the other businessman shouted. "World Domination is ours for the taking! At least… if we all do our part, _Chazz_!"

"And we already have!" the first businessman continued. "Now it's your turn bro! Conquer the world of Duel Monsters! Be the best, and _don't _give up!"

"Did you really think you could get away from your duties? Get away from us by dropping out of Duel Academy?!" the second asked.

"I… I…!" Chazz mumbled, attempting to come up with some kind of retort.

Konami watched the scene in surprise. What was going on? He'd never seen Chazz back down from anyone! Just who were these two? One of the businessmen had referred to Chazz as _bro_… could it be…?

"Don't deny it!" the second businessman snapped, his rage getting the best of him as he rose from his seat. "You have always been the _slacker _of this family!"

"It doesn't matter!" the first interrupted. "The point is, Chazz, you can still turn it around! You can still show that we're supreme!"

The second man nodded in agreement with the first, and quickly raised the black suitcase clasped tightly in his hand. "That's right! And with the Dueling cards we brought you'll be able to do just that!" They're the most expensive out there so you have no excuse to lose!"

He slammed the briefcase onto the table in front of Chazz, and spared the boy another vile glare.

"Don't disappoint us, Chazz! Don't let the Princeton name down! It's all on you!"

Chazz stared at the briefcase in horror, and as the two men made to leave, Konami felt the sudden urge to hide. Quickly sliding around the corner of the hallway, he waited for the two to pass, before returning to the room's door to check on his fellow representative.

"Hey, Chazz…"

"What?! Who's there?!" the boy snapped, glaring at Konami in surprise. "Red Hat?! What're you-?! Did you hear?!"

A multitude of scenarios ran through Konami's mind, none of them good if Chazz caught wind of his eavesdropping.

"Hear what?" he asked curiously, only to watch Chazz's eyes narrow in suspicion.

"Hmph! You're a terrible liar! I can see it all over your face!" Chazz accused. "What? You come to laugh at the Slacker Prince?!"

Konami shook his head softly, taking Chazz's words as invitation to enter the room. "…I was worried."

"Worried?" Chazz asked mockingly, "About what?! I'm Chazz Princeton! I don't need your worry, I'm rich!"

"Not for long, by the looks of it." Konami replied, moving to sit across from the boy and his briefcase. "Those two men… were they…?"

"My brothers? Yeah." Chazz snorted, folding his arms impatiently at Konami's question. "Slade and Jagger. They're always looking down on me, but I'll show them, I'll show them all! No one berates Chazz Princeton and gets away with it you hear me?! _Nobody_!"

Deciding that the topic of brothers for Chazz was a poor one, Konami instead ventured into something else that had caught his interest.

"What's this I heard about a broadcast? Is something being televised?"

"Che, what do you think?" Chazz retorted, glaring at Konami's idiocy. "My stupid brothers… they thought it'd be a good idea to broadcast the Inter-School Duels across the whole nation! Not that I care or anything! This just means that I get to watch Jaden get his head knocked off on the big screen! Yeah, and everyone will finally realize the significance of "Chazzing things up!""

Despite the tension, Konami couldn't help but sigh.

"Again with the catchphrases…" he murmured. "Really, I don't know who's worse, you or Wisteria."

"What's she got to do with this?!" Chazz snapped.

"Nothing, nothing." Konami said, and at that moment he decided to take his chances. After all, nothing could be worse than talking about _her_. "So, brothers huh? I guess it fits, in a weird sort of way."

"There's nothing weird about it!" Chazz growled, his hands tightening against his black jacket. "Slade and Jagger are geniuses! Heads of the Field in their own right! It's just that I'm their little brother see, so they feel the need to look out for me!"

"So yelling at you and forcing a bunch of cards down your throat is their way of doing that?" Konami asked rhetorically.

"That's right!" Chazz answered, despite the veil of sarcasm.

"Well, if you say so."

Chazz glared at Konami, his temper finally reaching its breaking point. "Well I do say so! And it's none of your business, so you can just butt out!"

"Is everything alright in there?" a feminine voice asked, catching both Chazz and Konami by surprise. "I thought I heard yelling."

To their horror, the doorknob leading into the room slowly turned, and as the door finally gave way to the force of the voice's owner, Konami's heart skipped a beat. For there, in the doorway, stood Alexis.

And as it turned out, she wasn't alone.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three**

* * *

**END**


	24. End of Scheme X Dark Dream

The silence in the room following her appearance was absolutely deafening.

Alexis, Chazz, and Konami all stared at one another in surprise, unsure of what to say. It had been quite some time since any of them had last seen each other, and the ceremony that had occurred an hour prior hadn't exactly been the best time to "sit down and talk", as it was. Not when the crowd acted out.

"A-Alexis?" Chazz was the first to speak. "What're you doing here? I mean… did you hear?"

If the blush was any indication as to what the lazy Princeton was feeling, Konami didn't say it. Even if it had been, Chazz's crush on Alexis was well known by the student body, even if it seemed the object of his desire was ignorant to its existence. She blinked owlishly for a moment before answering.

"Huh? Hear what?" she asked, earning a surprised, though relieved smile from Chazz. "Like I said, I thought I heard yelling, but it was too garbled for me to make out. Why? Was there something important going on I should know about?"

"Nothing, nothing! Just some North Academy business is all!" Chazz said hurriedly. Adjusting himself quickly, the Princeton made to locate another chair before gesturing Alexis towards it. "Here! Why don't you take a seat?"

"Don't mind if I do." Another voice spoke up before Alexis could respond, and Bastion suddenly entered the room, plopping himself down in the seat Chazz had gotten. "Thanks."

"Nerd! Just what do you think you're doing?!" Chazz snapped, throwing his hands up in outrage. "That seat was for Alexis! Get the hell out of it!"

"Really Chazz, I don't mind." Alexis sighed, revealing her thoughts on the matter. "Besides, I should probably be heading out soon."

"What?!" the boy snapped. "B-But you only just got here! Stay a while! Smell my new cologne! See how strong I've gotten!"

"Yeah Alexis!" a third, familiar voice agreed. "You should hang around a little longer! Besides, weren't you just saying that you were wondering how these two were doing?"

Alexis's eyes went wide at the words, and she turned to face the speaker, affronted. "Jaden…!" she exclaimed.

"What?! You mean that Slifer Slacker's here too?!" Chazz asked. "What's he doing with Alexis?"

"Is it really all that surprising?" Bastion inquired. "He's a Representative too, you know."

"Hey guys!" Jaden said, poking his head into the door before entering completely. "Long time no see huh? I can't wait to see what kind of cards you'll use in the Inter-School Duels!"

"It's good to see you too." Konami replied with a small smile.

"Ha! Speak for yourself, maybe!" Chazz snapped, folding his arms and glaring at the Slifer angrily. "I could go a few more days without having to see your idiotic face, Jaden!"

"Aw, don't be that way Chazz!" Jaden smiled sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "We're all friends here after all! Uh, what's with the suitcase? You aren't planning on taking another trip are you?"

"Grr…!" Chazz growled, swiping the briefcase away from prying eyes. "That's none of your business!" he snapped, rising from his seat. "Know what? Forget it! I don't have to spend any more time with you losers, except for you Alexis! I'm outta here!"

Turning on his heel, he swept out the room, his tattered black jacket billowing behind him as he left. Konami sighed at the motion, adjusting his cap before he too made to stand. There was no telling what Chazz might do in his current state, maybe it'd be best if he followed him… Of course, he reasoned to himself that he wasn't doing it just to see what cards were in that briefcase, of course he wasn't!

…Okay so maybe he was, it didn't change the fact that he was still playing the part of the worried comrade!

A stern hand suddenly found itself onto the boy's shoulder, and Konami turned to find himself face-to-face with the calm, collected gaze of Bastion Misawa. His mood sobered instantly.

"I hope you didn't think we'd just let you run away too, Konami." Bastion said with a growing smile. "You still haven't told us about your lovely stay in North Academy, or why you didn't tell anybody you were leaving!"

Several beads of sweat pooled down the back of Konami's head, not that anyone could see it. He gazed at Bastion's smirking grin, Jaden's smiling face, and Alexis's curious, though not intrusive stare. After a moment, he gave in and sighed. It was gonna be a_ long_ night.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Three**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

"…and that's what happened." Konami finished, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

Having deemed it necessary to skip the inconvenient "Flashback Episode", as it were, North Academy's King had quickly detailed his exploits to the trio, indulging their curiosity as best he could. He explained how he came across Chazz's boat at the harbor, hijacking the plot for his own needs to make his way to Duel Academy. He told them of how they capsized in the worst possible location, only to be saved by a passing submarine, the same, he informed them, that North Academy had only just arrived in. He spoke of the challenges and dangers he faced, up to and including his first dreadful match with the witch known to them only as Wisteria Fujiwara. Bastion and Alexis had been less than pleased.

"What do you mean she knocked you out a window?!" Alexis had exclaimed, horrified at the thought. "That could have killed you! Why wasn't she expelled for doing something like that?!"

Bastion had nodded in agreement, his own eyes questioning Konami with similar thoughts.

"You have to understand," Konami had replied. "North Academy… it's not like here. Students aren't grouped into ranks based on their grades. There's no room for friendship or other kind sentiments. It's survival of the fittest… the students all bow down to the one deemed the strongest, and when I arrived, Wisteria _was_ the strongest." He'd allowed his explanation to hang in the air quietly, before moving to continue.

He skimmed over the headmaster rescuing him, and left out the part about Pegasus's Icy Cavern completely. He informed them of his reunion with Chazz, and finally, mystified his second climb of the tower, finishing his story with a dramatic tale of Wisteria's defeat.

Despite Konami's insistence on skipping the theatrics, the story had still taken over an hour to tell. By the time he'd finished, only Jaden was still enraptured in his words, Alexis and Bastion having both grown weary and, though they loathed to admit it, bored.

"…and that's it." Konami finished seriously. "So I climbed aboard the submarine alongside Chazz and Wisteria, and returned to Duel Academy."

"Wow," Jaden breathed, "so that's how it happened huh?"

"What? You mean the story finally finished?" Bastion inquired, raising a brow in hope. Upon seeing both Jaden and Konami nod, he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Really Konami, I know this is an important moment and all, but you'd think you'd be able to make a story more interesting than one of Crowler's lectures!"

"W-What?" Konami asked, his eyes widening in surprise. He'd known he wasn't the _greatest_ storyteller around, but he at least thought he was capable of doing a somewhat decent job!

"Aw, come on Bastion!" Jaden grinned, slapping the Ra Yellow across the back as he stuck up for his pal. "It wasn't that bad! I really liked the part where you got back at that mean ol' butler you were talking about! How dare he and that master of his use dueling as a weapon! Don't they know it's supposed to be for fun?!"

"I'm pretty sure they knew that Jaden." Alexis said, speaking up for the first time in a while. "I think they just didn't care."

"What?! But why wouldn't they?!" Jaden retorted. "That just doesn't make any sense! Everyone wants to have fun, right? I mean, they have to! There wouldn't be any point otherwise!"

"Hm…" Bastion folded his arms in deep thought. For a moment, it appeared as though he was preparing to impart some deep wisdom upon them. "An old man once said… some people just want to watch the world burn."

Jaden, surprisingly, was the first to deadpan. "Okay there Alfred."

Bastion blinked at the jibe, slowly turning to face Jaden curiously. "Did you just-? Am I really-?"

"Alright you guys," Alexis interrupted, stepping between the two and placing a soothing hand on both their shoulders. "I think that's enough interrogating for one night. Konami must be pretty tired from his trip, right?" she asked, turning to gaze at the boy curiously.

Konami tilted his head slightly, gazing back at the Obelisk Blue. It seemed as though there was a correct answer to her words, though he was feeling surprisingly energetic… "Uh," he said, "actually I'm pretty-"

"_Right_?" Alexis reiterated.

"Uh… yeah, I guess." Konami agreed, finally understanding that saying yes was the only answer the girl was willing to take. He must have really upset her with that long, _boring_ story of his, he thought.

"See?" Alexis smiled cheekily, turning back to face Bastion and Jaden once more. "He's tired, so we should leave him be for now. You'll have all the time to catch up with each other tomorrow before the first Duel starts! Besides Bastion, didn't you say you had some more work to do on that new Deck of yours?"

"Ah… yes, I did say something along those lines…" Bastion admitted, glancing toward Konami curiously for a moment. "Very well. I suppose we _have_ been talking for a while. Nonetheless, it has been good seeing you Konami. Rest assured that I look forward to seeing what you can do during the Inter-School Duel! I suppose you already know which of us you want to Duel?"

It took only a moment for Konami to respond. "Yeah, I know. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Bastion."

The Ra's lips curled upward. "Hmm… well, I guess that means we'll be having our rematch after all."

"What?" Jaden blinked, glancing between the two in surprise. "Aw man, you mean you and Bastion are the ones who're gonna be going at it? And here I thought I'd finally have a chance to take a crack at you myself, Konami!"

"Ah, I wouldn't mind it, but then Chazz might bust a blood vessel." Konami revealed. "All he's been going on about this entire time is how he's finally gonna get back at you for the last Duel."

"Speaking of Chazz, what was that you two were talking in here about earlier? It must've been something big, if he started yelling like he did." Alexis said, worry in her eyes.

Konami narrowed his eyes somewhat, debating whether or not to tell them. Chazz's situation with his brothers was his private matter, and despite Konami himself prying earlier, he wasn't quite sure that it was anyone else's business. Still, Alexis did seem rather worried… No, he decided. If Alexis wanted the full story she could go to Chazz herself. Besides, Chazz would probably enjoy the company, at least as long as it was only her asking. Still, she needed to be told _something_. It didn't look like she was the type to leave a mystery alone if she could help it. So, Konami opened his mouth to speak.

"Oh, that? Chazz was just upset because it looks like the Duels are all going to be broadcasted on live television."

"What?!" Alexis, Bastion and Jaden exclaimed in unison. "What do you mean it's going to be televised?!"

"Yeah," Konami said, reconfirming his statement. "Chazz's brothers showed up earlier. Turns out they're the one bringing all the equipment to begin with! I guess they're really looking forward to watching their little brother Duel."

"Oh, man! Why didn't you say something about that earlier?!" Jaden complained, grabbing his head in frustration. "I have to make sure my hair is good! I have to make sure my face is washed! I have to make sure I _actually_ wash!"

"What type of strategy will they expect from someone of Ra Yellow?!" Bastion panicked, pressing a hand against his forehead in despair. "It can't be something underhanded… but it needs to be a brilliant tactic on its own…!"

The two began to mumble and sweat, and Konami was left with only Alexis to speak with. "Um…" he asked, "Were they like this _all_ the time I was gone?"

Alexis sighed. "A little. Most of the time they had Syrus or Chumley there to reel them in…"

"Right, where are those two anyway?" Konami asked curiously, glancing around the room wondering if he'd somehow missed their presence. "I rarely saw them without Jaden before I left! Did something change while I was gone?"

"No way. Those two are still his favorite sidekicks, just like always." Alexis smiled a little while staring at the panicking Slifer. "They just know when to actually go to sleep, which, I should add, is exactly what _you_ two should be doing." She said, speaking to Bastion and Jaden.

"R-Right!" Jaden nodded, quickly turning toward the door. "You know what they say! A good night's sleep can make you look younger, and I'll need to look younger for the camera!"

"Speak for yourself! I still need to finish building my Deck!" Bastion exclaimed.

The two ran out the room quickly, leaving an exasperated Alexis and a confused Konami in their wake. Sighing, the Obelisk Blue soon made to follow them, stopping in the doorway to glance back at Konami.

"I know it may not mean much coming from me," she said slowly, "but I'm glad you managed to get everything worked out for yourself." she let the statement hang for a moment before continuing. "I'm… just sorry it took you leaving Duel Academy to do it."

She left the room and closed the door behind her, moving to chase after her fellow Representatives.

"Hmm…" Konami thought aloud, turning his head to the ceiling. "…I never said I wasn't coming back you know."

Waiting another moment before grabbing the door himself, Konami too left the room, deciding to make use of the night while it still lasted. The lack of students made it the perfect time for him to reacquaint himself with Duel Academy's many facilities, and without Mindy or Jasmine there to berate him, the boy knew he wouldn't have to worry about enduring another "Academy Tour of Love".

He passed through the many buildings slowly, taking the time to immerse himself in the feeling of Duel Academy once more. The Halls, the Dorms, he recognized them all, he realized, and it wasn't long before he found himself staring at the most familiar locations.

Half an hour later, Konami walked through the grass of Duel Academy, away from the shack that was the Slifer Red Dorm. It had been one of his last stops, having wanted to give not only Jaden, but the many other Slifers as well time to drift to sleep. Luckily, his plan had paid off. By the time he'd arrived few, if any, lights in the rooms were on, and those that were did not belong to any Slifers he himself was closely affiliated with. It had given him the perfect opportunity to check in on his old room, and surprisingly, he'd found that not a single thing had been moved out of place, though it wasn't as if he had much to begin with. He only stayed there a few moments, knowing better than to overstay his welcome. He was a North Academy student, after all. He was technically supposed to be sleeping in the Main Hall with the rest of his peers, but somehow he doubted Headmaster Foster would care much.

"Oh? Taking a late night stroll Mr. Kodo?" a voice asked mysteriously, snapping Konami from his thoughts. The boy turned quickly, eyes widening as he searched for the location of his addressor.

"What's that?!" he exclaimed quickly, caught off guard. "Who's there?!"

"Just a professor checking in on his former student, not that you ever attended any of my classes."

A tall, slender-looking man with long black hair emerged from the darkness, carrying a fat, pudgy cat between his hands.

"Uh…" Konami stared at the man for several moments, attempting to put a name with his face. "…Who're you again?"

The man face-planted awkwardly, only to rise back up in seconds and adjust his glasses. The cat meowed, having fallen from his hands during the commotion.

"I am Professor Lyman Banner," he introduced himself, "the headmaster of the Slifer Red Dorm."

"Huh?! The Slifer Red's?!" Konami exclaimed. "But then, how come I've never seen you around anywhere?!"

"I have been around, you just haven't been paying close enough attention." Professor Banner explained, giving a brief rundown of his many appearances.

Standing in the sidelines during Konami's first Duel with Bastion. Being hit by the door as Konami entered his Slifer Red room for the first time.

Listening to the man's many encounters with him, Konami couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. Impossible, he had never imagined that he'd meet someone who had less Field Presence than Bastion. It seemed like Duel Academy really _was_ filled with all kinds of strange people.

"So tell me, for what purpose does the esteemed "King of North Academy" visit the lowly Slifer Red Dorm?" Professor Banner asked out of honest curiosity. "Were you feeling nostalgic?"

"I… guess?" Konami asked, tilting his head in thought. "I couldn't help but notice all my stuff was still in the room…"

"Ah, yes. Syrus and Chumley were rather adamant about the faculty moving anything around. They were well prepared to seal themselves in with another student, one Yuma Miyata." The Professor explained.

"Yuma did? Strange. I didn't take her as the type to act so… rashly." Konami mused.

"Indeed. She was always one of my more studious apprentices." Professor Banner laughed. "I must say it was quite a surprise to find her locked in with my other students. You must be good friends."

"We are." Konami confirmed, nodding his head slowly. "It's too bad. I haven't managed to catch up with her since I got back here."

Laughing again, Professor Banner made to pick up his cat before answering the Slifer before him. "I'm sure you'll come across her in the following days. For now though, perhaps you'd have better luck returning to the Main Hall. It's not safe to stay out late here. You may be abducted by an evil ghost."

"A ghost?" Konami asked incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous. There's no such thing."

At that moment Yata-Garasu emerged from his Deck to peck Konami's cheek mockingly.

"Ngh, you don't count." Konami muttered beneath his breath, softly.

There was a chuckle.

"Well, it's just a bit of advice. You're free to take it or leave it." The Professor explained, petting his cat softly on the head before turning back toward the Slifer Dorms. "Good night, Mr. Kodo. Do be safe on your way back."

And he left.

Konami sighed, watching the man disappear inside the small shack. "So that's the Slifer Red Headmaster huh…? Figures he's a bit weird just like the rest of them. And what's all this about ghosts? As if Duel Spirits weren't enough to worry about."

Adjusting his cap slightly, Konami turned and continued his walk. Even if he thought Professor Banner was missing a few marbles, his "advice" did hold a few merits. It was late, and there was no telling what the next day would bring.

He sighed, and made his way back to the Main Hall.

The lounge, as he'd expected, was empty. Chazz and Wisteria were nowhere to be seen, a fact that Konami found himself grateful for, to say the least. Figuring that even they had to sleep, Konami slouched into the couch leaning against the far wall, and let his eyelids droop down.

Despite his earlier energy, it seemed the events of the day had finally caught up with him.

The endless chanting of North Academy's students… the angry jeers of the crowd… and even Chazz's familial drama... it all tugged and pulled at the boy's soul. He yawned, sinking deeper into the cool leather of the couch as the world around him began to dim.

He always had liked those automatic lights, he thought. They knew just when to turn off… wait, what?

There was a problem with his last thought, Konami realized. The Faculty Lounge had a _Flip_ Switch, not a Sensor Light. How then, had the lights turned off?

Rubbing his eyes, Konami leaned upward, glancing around the Faculty Lounge. Only… he wasn't in the Faculty Lounge any longer. The familiar counters and couches were gone, replaced with cold, rocky walls and wet, muddy floors.

It was clear to him in an instant. He wasn't in the Main Hall anymore.

"What the-? How is this possible?" he asked himself, rising from the couch to gaze at his surroundings in shock.

The walls creaked and shuddered at his words, and a towering shadow suddenly spread from the floor.

"**Who's there…?"** a deep, guttural growl rumbled throughout the labyrinth, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes shined in the distance.

"Impossible! What is this?!" Konami shouted, taking a step back.

Black tendrils slithered across the floor, grasping at his ankles and limbs…

…and he let loose the loudest scream he could possibly muster.

A slap suddenly rang out throughout the Faculty Lounge, and Konami's eyes snapped wide open.

A stinging sensation pulsed across the side of his face, and after a moment, he realized he was still seated safely on the couch. Unfortunately, Wisteria was towering above him angrily.

"You were screaming in your sleep." she said simply, lowering her hand and folding her arms in disgust. "Hardly an action worthy of a "King", I think."

Konami sat unmoving, his mind attempting to register Wisteria's words. "It was… a dream…?" Slowly, he raised his hand to his cheek, soothing the small pain he'd received upon incurring Wisteria's wrath. His vision stopped swimming, and finally, he could make out the small rays of sunlight shining through the window.

It was morning then? Had he fallen asleep so quickly…?

The girl glowered at him impatiently, her foot tapping against the floor in an angry rhythm. "Whatever," she said finally. "I don't have time for this! You should hurry up and get ready. The Inter-School Duels are starting soon you know?!"

And that was that. Without another word she turned to leave, muttering something about "disgraceful appearances" and "unworthy" circumstances. Konami groaned.

"Of all people to walk in on me sleeping… why did it have to be her?" he asked himself, snapping his head back to glare at the ceiling.

But what was that? He couldn't even remember the last time he'd had a nightmare. What had it been about again? Black tendrils… and a pair of creepy, yellow eyes… Konami shook his head, attempting to drive the thoughts from his brain. Chalking it up to nervousness, he rose from the couch and prepared for the day ahead.

**-GX-**

**Making use of the Faculty Facilities, Konami and the rest of North Academy prepared for the first day of events. With Headmaster Foster's guidance, they made their way toward the Main Hall's Duel Arena, where the first Duel was to take place.**

**-GX-**

"Feeling alright there Konami?" the Headmaster asked, gazing upon his prize student with a critical eye. "You seem a little… rattled."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Konami replied, attempting to reassure the man as best he could. "Just had a rough night." Spotting Wisteria, Konami narrowed his eyes suspiciously. It didn't seem like she'd told anyone about how she found him. To be honest, he was surprised. He wouldn't have put it past her to use that as an opportunity to embarrass him somehow. Was she waiting for the right moment…?

Catching his gaze, Wisteria turned to meet him with a glare of her own. Then she smirked. It was subtle, but he caught it.

Konami grumbled beneath his breath. Yes, he'd need to keep a closer eye on her in the near future. More importantly, however, was their deal. Konami hadn't forgotten what his one order to the girl entailed, and he was certain that she hadn't forgotten either. They were already at Duel Academy… just how long was she planning on waiting to do as he'd told?

Being ushered forward by the Headmaster, Konami found he had no more time to think on the subject. He quickly joined his fellow representatives on the stage, just in time for Dr. Crowler to appear to begin the Introductory Speech.

"Greetings, Duelists!" the man said, a false cheer echoing through his voice at the knowledge that they were being broadcast live. "Welcome, to Duel Academy's first ever Inter-School _Duels_!"

The crowd cheered at the words, and Konami could hear Chazz scoff beside him.

"Now, many of you may not know me," Crowler continued, "but I'm told that I'm not one to beat around the bush! So, let's skip the foreplay and get right down to it!"

The lights to the stadium flashed, and two large screens flickered into view for the whole crowd to see. Glancing toward the screens, Konami could make out his own appearance, along with those of his fellow, and rival Representatives.

"They really went all out for this huh…?" he mumbled quietly.

"Of course!" Chazz snapped softly. "_My_ brothers were the ones to fund it, after all!"

"First," Dr. Crowler said, cutting off any further talk, "representing the school of Duel Academy, allow me to introduce, Alexis Rhodes, Bastion Misawa, and Jaden Yuji!"

Jaden made a face at the incorrect pronunciation of his last name, but everyone there was certain that the man had done it on purpose. Regardless, the Hero-lover didn't raise a fuss. He stepped up along with his fellow Duel Academy students, waving to the crowd as politely as he could. It did appear that he held back a lot of his energy however. Konami supposed Alexis was to blame for that.

"And representing the school of North Academy…" Dr. Crowler continued, "I give you, Wisteria Fujiwara, Konami Kodo, and Chazz Princeton!"

The three stepped up in unison, greeting the crowd in their own ways before exchanging glances with their respective Representative.

"Hey Chazz, I can't wait to see how much stronger you've gotten!" Jaden grinned. "Think you can resist being "Kuriboh'd" this time around?"

"Shut it slacker!" Chazz replied. "I'll wipe the floor with you, you'll see!"

"Hmph, animals, both of them." Bastion sighed, turning his gaze to Konami. "I hope we can have a more civilized conversation during _our_ Duel?"

"Sure." Konami said. "And afterwards, you'll be able to tell me all about how it felt losing to me twice."

"Heh, we'll see." Bastion smirked. "You aren't the only one who's done some growing you know?"

Wisteria and Alexis said nothing to each other.

"Now, the time has come!" Dr. Crowler shouted. The screen changed, showing a single detailed roulette displaying three separate Duels.

Konami VS Bastion.

Wisteria VS Alexis.

Chazz VS Jaden.

It slowly began to rotate, spinning so quickly that the names became blurred before slowing and landing on a single choice.

"Hmph, ladies first huh?" Chazz sniffed. "Figures."

"Don't be jealous Chazz," Wisteria said, running a hand through her hair. "You'll have your chance soon enough."

"And the Duel for the day has been decided!" Dr. Crowler roared, much to the cheer of the crowd. "Wisteria and Alexis! Prepare for battle! As for the other Representatives, please return to the sidelines to enjoy the match!"

Chazz and the other uncalled Representatives left, though Konami hovered behind for a moment to regard Wisteria critically.

"Don't forget what we talked about." He muttered just loud enough so she could hear.

"I haven't." Wisteria scowled. "Be a dear and try not to have any nightmares during my Duel? I don't think I could bear the sound of your sniveling any longer."

"Tsk. Whatever." Konami grunted, and he left to the join the rest.

Alexis and Wisteria exchanged one last glance before heading to their designated parts of the arena.

Dr. Crowler stood between them, his hand raised toward the ceiling above.

"Raise your Duel Disks!" he shouted, watching the two ladies do just that. "Shuffle your Decks!"

Again, they both obliged.

He stepped out of the center, his voice raising several octaves as he shouted the final command.

"Now, Duel!"

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four**

* * *

**END**

* * *

**And so the Inter-School Duels begin! With Wisteria and Alexis declared as the first match, both Chazz and Konami now have another day to prepare. But as Wisteria and Alexis begin their Duel, can Red Hat trust Wisteria to stick to her word? Just who will come out on top in this battle of Queens? Let's find out, together, next time, on Yu-Gi-Oh Tag Force: Learning to Duel!**


	25. Shroud X Proud

"_Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Alexis asked, staring at the red-clad Duelist beside her._

_Konami laughed sheepishly, moving to adjust the tip of his hat ever so slightly. "Isn't that my line?" he asked. "Besides, didn't you run after Bastion and Jaden? Where are they?"_

_Alexis hummed to herself, folding her arms beneath her chest in thought. "Those two… I lost them after leaving the Main Hall. Already preparing for tomorrow's Duel no doubt. They can be a bit silly, but they sure can move when they feel like it. Which brings me back to my main point, shouldn't you be preparing for tomorrow too? What are you going to do if you're the first Duelist and you haven't had a good night's rest?"_

_Konami smiled softly, turning from Alexis to stare out over the pier. "Me? Sleep after explaining everything that happened in North Academy? No way, that's just not my style Alexis."_

"_You have a style now?" Alexis asked incredulously, a single brow raising as she spoke her thought. "Well, I guess it make a little bit of sense. I'm not sure I'd be able to sleep either, knowing I'd be forced to rely on someone who hates my guts. Why did she agree to it anyway? To join forces with you for the sake of the Inter-School Duel?" She left out the fact that Chazz was competing as well._

"_Wisteria… is under oath. She made me a promise," Konami explained, "a promise that she'd come clean about everything that happened with Kami. I told her she'd have to explain it to the whole school, that's the only reason she'd bother coming back here at a time like this."_

"_You..." Alexis interrupted, her eyes widening at Konami's words, "you don't really think she's going to go through with that, do you? I mean, don't get me wrong, a Duelist's word is their bond but… if we're talking about someone like Wisteria…" she averted her gaze from the boy, leaving her statement unfinished._

"…_there's no way she'll come clean on her own, right?" Konami said, ending Alexis' thought. "You're right about that. If it were under normal circumstances, I have no doubt that Wisteria would do anything to keep from coming clean, especially with the event being broadcasted like it is. But… if she were to be pressured somehow…"_

"_Pressured somehow?" Alexis frowned, not liking the tone. "Don't tell me you plan on doing something stupid?"_

"_You're the one who's going to be dueling her, right?" Konami asked, confirming what he already knew. "Each Duel is going to be held in the stadium, where everyone can see. If you were to push her into a corner, then there's a chance that she'll stay true to her word, and that she'll tell everyone about what she's done!"_

"_I can't believe we're having this conversation." Alexis sighed in disappointment. "What would Headmaster Foster think, knowing that one of his prized Duelists was plotting against one of their own?"_

"_It doesn't matter what he thinks, because this doesn't concern him!" Konami shot back heatedly, striking Alexis by surprise. "I don't know what you and the others are thinking Alexis, but I have no intention of staying with North Academy for the rest of the year. I told Headmaster Foster that I'd tag along with him until the end of this Inter-School Duel, but after that… I'm returning to Duel Academy, but I can't do that if everyone's still glaring at me like I'm some kind of monster!"_

_Alexis' eyes softened, and she made to examine Konami worriedly. His body was trembling, filled with the burning emotions of hate and fear. Tightening her grip on her arm, Alexis sighed and thought of how she would respond. It wasn't as if the two of them were close after all, and she wasn't sure if any attempt at comforting him would be met with a kind response. Still, risks never stopped her from doing things before._

"_Well, you're not a monster," Alexis said reassuringly, "and to be honest, I think you have more friends here than you realize. Not everyone at Duel Academy hates your guts."_

"_Could've fooled me." Konami retorted snidely._

"_Hey, you don't have to take all this on by yourself." Alexis assured him. "Despite what everyone's trying to make you think, you're not alone, Konami. If you need anything, your friends will be sure to help."_

"_And are you my friend, Alexis?" Konami asked curiously._

"_Huh?" Alexis asked, blinking in surprise at the boy's sudden question. "Well… I guess?"_

_Konami laughed a little, before turning to face her fully with a small smile. "And friends will be sure to help me when I need something, right?"_

"_Er…" Alexis frowned, realizing she'd just been had._

"_Right now, I'd really appreciate it if you helped Wisteria come clean in front of everyone. And since you're my friend, there's no way you're gonna let me down, right Alexis? Friends don't do that to one another, do they?" Konami continued, assaulting her with the same words she'd used to cheer him up._

"_Alright, alright," Alexis said, waving him off with a small gesture, "I get it! All I have to do is push Wisteria into a corner right? That shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I hope you aren't expecting me to throw a Duel because of it."_

"_No way." Konami replied. "If anything, I'll probably be cheering for you out there, mentally of course. Like you said, can't have the Headmaster thinking his prized students are turning against each other."_

"_Right…"_

_Konami yawned, arcing his back before glancing around his surroundings. "Well, I think I've been out here long enough. I'll probably swing by the Slifer Red Dorms real quick before heading in."_

_Alexis just nodded at him softly, not quite sure what to say to that._

"_Oh, and I should probably tell you one more thing about Wisteria before you duel her." Konami remembered, turning back to face Alexis one last time before he left. "It's likely she'll be trying to use a Ritual Deck. What you do with that information… well, that's on you, isn't it?"_

_He turned toward the path leading to the Slifer Dorms, and gave a nonchalant wave to the Obelisk before disappearing into the night. Alexis didn't wave back, knowing full well that he wouldn't see the motion anyway. Even so, she couldn't help but feel that now, she understood Konami just a little more._

_Alexis turned back toward the Obelisk Blue Dorms, and disappeared into its glowing halls._

_She couldn't waste time dallying about any longer, she needed to prepare._

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Four**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

Last night had been an experience, to say the least. However, Alexis knew she had to put it behind her. Exchanging a single, subtle glance with Konami, she reaffirmed her will to win, and what she'd need to do to do so. The knowledge that Wisteria was using a Ritual Deck was beneficial, but Alexis was never one to use such information against her ignorant opponent. The fact that she had added two or three anti-Ritual cards had nothing to do with her willingness to help Konami, or so she told herself. She just wanted to beat Wisteria more than most, or so she believed.

As it was, she and Wisteria stared at each other solemnly, their stances unmoving while Dr. Crowler stood between them. His hand was raised high, and a grin split his face, making it appear even more horrific than Alexis thought possible.

The hand dropped as the man leapt out the middle of the stadium, and his last, final cry rang through the air.

"Duel!"

The large screen posted across the stadium's walls changed at the words, and a large counter appeared, displaying both Alexis and Wisteria's remaining Life Points.

It was time to Duel!

**DUEL**

**ALEXIS VS WISTERIA**

**ALEXIS – 4000 LP**

**WISTERIA – 4000 LP**

"You know, I've heard a lot about you the past few days," Alexis revealed, staring down Wisteria with a frown while their Decks shuffled themselves neatly in their Disks, "and I can't say I'm all that impressed with how you've been acting."

"And what business is it of yours how I act?" Wisteria retorted, wrinkling her nose in annoyance. "Last I checked, you weren't my mother, Rhodes."

"Maybe," Alexis said, acquiescing to her statement, "but I _am_ a friend of one of the people you've harmed. Believe me when I say that I'm not happy about what you've done to him."

"Oh, spare me." Wisteria interrupted. "I have no intention to sit here and listen to you whine about something that's over and done with! We're here for a Duel, are we not? Besides, our beloved boy toy over there can handle himself perfectly fine!"

"You're right, he can." Alexis agreed, her eyes widening upon hearing the soft beep that signaled that her Deck was done shuffling. "But that doesn't mean I can't raise a few complaints of my own! It's my Turn, Draw!"

**TURN ONE – ALEXIS**

"I activate…" Alexis started, glancing through her hand swiftly before reaching for a green card, "this! The Spell Pot of Greed! It allows me to draw two cards from my Deck!"

"Hmph!" Wisteria muttered, folding her arms impatiently. "You'll need them!"

"You're right about that," Alexis agreed, smiling upon seeing what she drew, "because now I'm going to summon this! The Warrior Monster _Command Knight_!"

She placed the drawn card onto her Duel Disk, watching the Field before her brighten with golden light. Slowly, a red-clad warrior rose from the floor, whipping a cape around elegantly before taking on a formidable position.

Command Knight – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV4 – (1200/1900)

"Oh? Rather weak monster, don't you think?" Wisteria asked, smiling coyly at the creature on the Field.

"Not quite, because Command Knight has a special ability!" Alexis explained. "When she's face-up on the Field, all Warrior-Type Monsters I control gain 400 Attack Points, and that includes her!"

Command Knight smiled mysteriously as a red aura overtook her, her strategic mind and powerful body giving her stats a small boost.

Command Knight – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV4 – (1600/1900)

"Now that that's done, I'll set one card and end my Turn!" Alexis said, throwing a face-down into her Duel Disk.

"So you managed to make that insect of yours a little stronger, big whoop!" Wisteria scowled. "It still won't change the outcome of this Duel! A fact I'll prove to you right now! It's my move! Draw!"

**TURN TWO – WISTERIA**

"And what a draw I made!" Wisteria smirked, smiling at the card in her hand. "I summon the most loyal of my little pets, the dark beast known as the _Mad Dog of Darkness_!"

She slapped the card down on her Duel Disk eagerly, and in response a sickly black aura swept across the Field. As it cleared, a growling brown creature was revealed, snarling angrily at the Command Knight defending Alexis' Life Points.

Mad Dog of Darkness – (DARK/Beast) – LV4 – (1900/1400)

"I hope your Command Knight isn't afraid of getting bitten, because when my monster attacks that's _exactly_ what's going to happen!" Wisteria said eagerly. "Go my Mad Dog! Rip that Knight of hers to shreds!"

The beast's eyes flashed menacingly, burning with hellfire as it suddenly leapt forward with the intent to kill. Command Knight attempted to defend itself, but it was futile. With extreme prejudice the Mad Dog of Darkness slashed its claw through the Knight's person, ripping it clean in two. A soft explosion rang out through the crowd, and Alexis was forced to take a step back, lest the damage her Life Points received engulf her too.

**ALEXIS – 3700 LP**

**WISTERIA – 4000 LP**

"Not bad… for a liar." Alexis said.

"I try." Wisteria replied, tossing a hand through her hair. "I'll set two cards face-down, and end my Turn."

"Then I guess that makes it my Turn. Draw!" Alexis shouted, grabbing her next card.

**TURN THREE – ALEXIS**

"I'm going to activate my Trap Card, Call of the Haunted!" Alexis revealed, flipping her face-down. "It allows me to bring back one Monster in my Graveyard by Special Summoning it in Attack Position, which I'll do right now to revive my Command Knight!"

The Knight suddenly emerged from the card's artwork, swinging her blade about wildly before resuming her prior stance on the Field.

Command Knight – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV4 – (1600/1900)

"Hmph, what good will that do you?" Wisteria asked. "You already know that it's no match for my Mad Dog of Darkness! What's the point of bringing it back just to be destroyed again?!"

"Oh you'll see soon enough," Alexis said, grabbing a card from her hand, "right now in fact, because I'm going to Tribute my Command Knight to bring out something even stronger!"

"What?! A Tribute Summon?!" Wisteria questioned, taking a step back in surprise.

"That's right!" Alexis explained, throwing her hand forward swiftly. "And there's nothing you can do about it! Now, I Tribute my Level 4 Command Knight to make way for a Level 6 Monster! Come forth, _Cyber Prima_!"

Command Knight knocked her head back as her armor shattered, and a golden light rained down upon her. As she faded from view, a taller, stronger humanoid took her place, swaying her hips to keep the rotating hoops around her spinning.

Cyber Prima – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV6 – (2300/1600)

"Now, Cyber Prima, what do you say we put down that rabid beast?" Alexis asked, earning a nod from her summoned monster. "Alright! Attack the Mad Dog of Darkness with your _Infinity Accel Hoop!_"

With a rousing hurrah, Cyber Prima dashed forward, spinning on her heel at the last moment to bring her foot down upon the Mad Dog's horned face. The creature whimpered as the blow landed, and its body slowly turned into golden particles before shattering completely. The resulting shockwave pushed Wisteria back several inches, and she shielded her eyes while squinting through the dirt and debris.

**ALEXIS – 3700 LP**

**WISTERIA – 3600 LP**

"My puppy!" she exclaimed, glaring at Alexis for all she was worth as the dust cleared. "You'll pay for that, Rhodes!"

"I'm sure I will," Alexis said softly, "but first I think I'll play a few face-down cards! Those should keep you nice and busy!" she set two cards face-down and ended her Turn.

"Busy? We'll see about that!" Wisteria snapped, moving her hand hastily toward her Duel Disk. "It's my move now! I Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – WISTERIA**

She smirked at her accomplishment. "And what do you know Rhodes, it looks like my side is just filled with interesting things today! I activate my face-down… the Destruction Spell Raigeki! This will destroy all Monsters on your side of the Field, meaning that your precious Cyber Prima… is toast!"

"Raigeki?!" Alexis asked in astonishment, taking a step back as the swirling storm appeared overhead. "But that's a powerful super-rare card! How did _you_ get your hands on it?!"

Wisteria merely smirked as she always did, folding her arms to explain things to the "simpler folk". "The Fujiwara Foundation has access to all kinds of cards, Rhodes. Not that I'd expect a low-class Obelisk like you to know such things."

"Low-class?!" Alexis asked, her eyes narrowing in outrage. "Big words coming from a _No-class_ like you! You're not even an Obelisk anymore! You ran off to join North Academy, remember?!"

"You're right, I did join North Academy, and thanks to our precious _King_ there," Wisteria said, giving Konami a sparing glance, "I've recently had a few openings in my Deck list, which is exactly why I can make use of this Raigeki now!" her eyes flashed. "Now then, where was I? Oh that's right! I was just about to destroy your Cyber Prima! Go! Raigeki Flare!"

From overhead the dark clouds suddenly flashed with forbidden light, and a single bolt of godly energy crashed down upon the Field. Cyber Prima and Alexis both cried out as the flash overtook them, blinding them in a wave of white light. As it finally began to dim, Alexis alone opened her eyes, understanding full well that her monster had been obliterated.

Save for her face-downs, she was completely defenseless.

"Cyber Prima…" she said softly, glancing toward her Graveyard were the card laid, "Sorry…!"

"You're about to be more than just sorry!" Wisteria interrupted, grabbing another card from her hand. "Because now I'm going to call forth a monster from the abyss! I summon the deadly _Fiend Sword_!"

A glowing blade of dark energy suddenly emerged from a portal of darkness, swinging itself about through the air as if it were being controlled by an expert swordsman. Its hilt slowly tilted forward, threatening Alexis with the tip of its blade.

Fiend Sword – (DARK/Warrior) – LV4 – (1400/800)

"Well, this is gonna hurt." Alexis thought aloud.

Wisteria smirked. "Fiend Sword," she declared, swooping her hand forward swiftly, "Attack!"

The demonic blade shot forward at the command, speeding across the Field and impaling itself through Alexis' chest. Despite it being but a hologram, Alexis cried out, a pained expression crossing her face as she staggered back in frustration.

**ALEXIS – 2300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 3600 LP**

"Agh…!" she hissed, wincing as the damage of Wisteria's attack cut through to her very soul. "I wasn't expecting that. For such a straightforward attack to come from someone like you…"

"Whether you expected it or not, it doesn't change the fact that it happened." Wisteria said. "And you can expect a lot more pain before this is all over! I End my Turn!"

**TURN FIVE - ALEXIS**

"Well, well, looks like you're every bit as ruthless as they say you are." Alexis replied, regaining her bearings. "Still, don't think that just because you have a little bit of an upper hand means that I'm down and out just yet. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve too you know." She drew her next card. "Like this for instance, my face-down Spell _Polymerization_!"

Wisteria's eyes widened in recognition, and she quickly raised her head to stare at Alexis. "Polymerization, you mean you're going to fuse?!"

"That's right, and the monsters I'm fusing are the Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater I have here in my hand!" Alexis explained, revealing both of the Monster cards before sending them into the Graveyard slot.

Both Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater still appeared on the Field for a brief moment, only to vanish into the swirling portal that was Polymerization a second later. A bright flash rang out from its being upon contact, and as Alexis swept her hand forward to herald the coming of a new monster, a string of words suddenly began to escape her lips.

"At this time, the power of two becomes one! Skate! Glide! From the brightest stage the strongest Blader comes forth! Fusion! Appear with all your grace, _Cyber Blader_!"

The portal sparked and cracked as Alexis finished her chant, and in response to her words a powerful being suddenly lurched forward. Flowing blue hair trailed behind the monster softly, and as the haze of red slowed to be fully seen, everyone laid eyes upon a tall, blue-skinned woman.

Cyber Blader – (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) – LV7 – (2100/800)

"You know, I can't help but feel that I was expecting… more." Wisteria said, gazing upon Alexis's monster unimpressed.

"Oh don't worry, I've got your "more" right here," Alexis declared, grabbing a card from her hand. "The Equip Spell _Axe of Despair_!"

Wisteria's eyes flashed as a large wooden axe appeared in the Cyber Blader's hands, increasing its power further. Alexis's monster seemed to smile at the prospect of a new weapon, and twirled about on her heel while wielding the axe as if she had been using it for years.

Cyber Blader – (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) – LV7 – (3100/800)

"3100 Attack Points?!" Wisteria breathed, taking a sudden step back as she finally realized her position.

"Which is more than your Fiend Sword's 1400!" Alexis replied, not missing a beat. "And you know what that means. Go Cyber Blader! Attack the Fiend Sword with your Axe of Despair!"

Without any word of confirmation, Cyber Blader rushed forward, spinning about the Field rapidly before appearing behind the demonic blade. A swift motion later and her axe was impaled deep into the sword's hilt. It never stood a chance.

**ALEXIS – 2300 LP**

**WISTERIA – 1900 LP**

"She destroyed my Fiend Sword like it was nothing… and even my Mad Dog of Darkness didn't stand a chance…" Wisteria said to herself quietly, shielding her eyes from the dust that had scattered upon her monster's destruction. "It looks like I can't afford to play around with you after all, Rhodes! A sign that you're not half bad!"

"Well, thanks for the compliment, but we're not here to play around!" Alexis shot back. "You really expect me to believe that you've been holding back this entire time?"

"Of course," Wisteria smirked, the dust clearing around her so she could see once more. "Do you really think I'd let you bring out a Fusion Monster before I brought out my own dearies otherwise? You may be good Rhodes, but don't get cocky!"

"_Isn't that supposed to be my line?"_ Alexis thought, a small bead of sweat dripping from the back of her head.

"Hm…" Wisteria hummed, glancing at the Field with a coy smile. "If I was at my full strength, having less than 2000 Life Points would be a problem… but thanks to a certain someone taking a few of my cards… that's no longer an issue!"

"It will be soon," Alexis bet, "because thanks to that attack you have less than half your Life Points remaining, and with my Cyber Blader having 3100 Attack Points, there's no way you'll be able to pull out a monster strong enough in just a single turn!"

"You sure about that?" Wisteria asked, a suspicious smile coming across her lips.

Alexis blinked in confusion, before narrowing her eyes. She was certain now, Wisteria was planning something. It looked like she'd have a use for her face-down after all.

"It's my Turn now!" Wisteria smirked. "Draw!"

**TURN SIX – WISTERIA**

"It's finally time… to put an end to this!" the girl declared, glancing at her hand. "The pieces are all here now. This Duel is over, Rhodes!"

"What? Are you blind?" Alexis asked. "You don't have even a single monster on your side of the Field, and like I said earlier, my Cyber Blader has 3100 Attack Points thanks to my Axe of Despair! There's no way you can turn this around so easily!"

"Maybe not under ordinary circumstances…" Wisteria agreed, "but I have… this! The Ritual Spell End of the World!"

"_It's here!"_ Alexis thought, her eyes flashing in understanding.

"Thanks to this card, I can Tribute any number of monsters from my side of the Field or my hand, and as long as their total Levels equal 8, I can use them to Ritual Summon _Ruin, the Queen of Oblivion!_"

"So you _are_ summoning a Ritual Monster!" Alexis realized, tightening her free hand softly. "Go on then, let's see what you've got!"

"Don't mind if I do!" Wisteria smirked. "I Tribute… the Level 8 Doom Dozer in my hand!"

"An insect?!"

"Hmph. Even worms can have their use every now and then." Wisteria admitted, smiling as she shipped the card into the Grave. "Especially when it comes to providing entertainment to their betters!"

"Entertainment…?" Alexis asked. "I'd heard you thought of things like that. It's part of the reason we're standing here now, isn't it?"

"That is correct. I had no intention of participating in this Inter-School Duel of my own accord. The only reason I'm here is to fulfill a promise."

"A promise?" Alexis inquired. "Didn't take you for the type."

"I'm not taken for a lot of things." Wisteria revealed. "None of which are any concern of yours I'm afraid. As for the promise…" she trailed off, making to glare at Alexis solemnly. "I think we both already know what that pertains to, don't we dear Alexis?"

The crowd glanced back and forth with one another, wondering what the two were talking about. Who cared about whatever promise it was that Wisteria made? They were there to watch Alexis win damn it! Well, those native to Duel Academy anyway.

"The promise I made with North Academy's King… the one who forced me to come back here to this place, after doing what I did…!" Wisteria scowled. "I'm speaking of the truth, Alexis Rhodes! The one pertaining to Kami and I, and that foul fiend you know as Konami Kodo!"

From the sidelines said boy coughed, quickly moving to hide his face further by lowering his cap.

"Good work Alexis." He muttered softly, though no one really heard him.

"…Yeah, I know all about it." Alexis admitted. "How you were the real mastermind behind everything that happened, and about how you manipulated Konami and the others into unknowingly doing your bidding! Tell me though, just why did you think it'd be a good idea to push him out of a _fifth-story window_?"

Wisteria's eyes narrowed. "So he told you that too, did he? That's fine, I'll admit it. Yeah, I pushed him. He was in the way. He insisted on interfering with me after we were well and done with. He brought it upon himself, being as stubborn as he was."

"That's not answering my question." Alexis noted. "I didn't ask _if_ you did. I asked _why_."

"He was annoying, of course. Going on and on about how he'd drag me back here and make me explain. What a farce!" Wisteria snapped.

"Was it?" Alexis asked, unable to hide the small smile that came over her. "You're here right now, aren't you?"

"Tsk! Of no desire of my own!" Wisteria spat. "Do you think I want to be here with you worms? I was perfectly fine minding my own business back at North Academy, but of course, you Duel Academy students just couldn't handle the situation properly now could you?! All this talk about bullying… and you weren't even dealing with the right person! Hmph, pathetic. Not even the Chancellor had the balls to step in and get involved!"

"But that's-" Alexis was interrupted.

"Be silent! I'm not finished yet." Wisteria scowled. "I'll admit it was I who was behind Kami's present condition, and that at the time, our dear King was just as much a pawn as the rest of you! But… don't think you can get away with marking me as the only villain in this scenario! I certainly won't allow it! Now, enough talk! It's time I finished this as I always intended, with my Ritual Monster, Ruin!"

The stadium flashed with blue light as Wisteria's Ritual Card finally activated. Great flames erupted from her side of the Field, and slowly, a white-haired woman garbed in a black and red battledress rose, wielding in her arms a long, spiked spear. She smirked darkly.

Ruin, Queen of Oblivion – (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) – LV8 – (2300/2000)

"Uh… sorry to rain on your parade, but your Ruin only has 2300 Attack Points!" Alexis pointed out. "It doesn't have the manpower to beat my Cyber Blader with 3100!"

"Oh believe me Rhodes I know," Wisteria retorted, "but your monster's 3100 Attack Points won't mean anything when I activate my Megamorph!"

"What?! Megamorph! And your Life Points are lower than mine which means…" Alexis's eyes widened. "Oh no!"

"Oh yes!" Wisteria smirked. "Megamorph is an Equip Spell that doubles the Attack of the equipped monster when my Life Points are lower than yours! Since right now my Ruin has 2300 Attack Points… that means that with Megamorph equipped, it grows to a powerful 4600!"

Ruin's eyes glowed dangerously as the power of the spell flowed through her, doubling her size and might. The woman whipped her weapon about wildly, preparing for the endless chaos and destruction she was about to indulge in.

Ruin, Queen of Oblivion – (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) – LV8 – (4600/2000)

"_And… thanks to Ruin's second attack ability, even with the power drop that'll come after this next attack, she'll still have the energy to wipe out the rest of Alexis's Life Points!"_ Wisteria thought to herself, clasping her fist tight. _"I've won!"_

"_With 4600 Attack Points it's stronger than Zane's most powerful monster!"_ Alexis thought, glancing at the overgrown Fairy warily. _"Luckily… thanks to Konami's information I was prepared for this. Which means Wisteria has no idea what she's in for once she attacks! Her monster will be gone, and with a small hand like that, there's no way she'll be able to make a comeback! I've won!"_

"It's time we end this, Rhodes!" Wisteria declared. "Ruin, attack her Cyber Blader!"

"That's just what I was waiting for, Wisteria!" Alexis shouted. "I'm activating my Trap Card, Ritual Sealing!"

Her face-down card flipped upward, revealing the artwork of a tied down Ritual card.

"What?! Ritual Sealing? But-!" Wisteria cut herself off, her eyes widening in realization. "Ho…? It seems like I'm not the only one who's been doing a little scheming."

"You're right about that." Alexis said, throwing her arm forward. "But you're the only one who's going to lose this Duel! Thanks to Ritual Sealing's effect, I can select one face-up Ritual Monster on the Field, and destroy it! Your Ruin, Queen of Oblivion is the only monster that meets the criteria, and so, it'll be automatically destroyed! You talked a big game, but don't think I'll let you off easy when it comes to protecting the students of Duel Academy!"

Wisteria's eyes narrowed at that. "Protect the students of Duel Academy…? _Just who do you think you are?!_ You haven't been protecting anyone! You all are so eager to treat me as the villain behind everything, but don't forget that you were the ones who drove an innocent student from this place to begin with! Where were you when he was locked away, hiding from his many aggressors?! Where were you when he finally decided he'd had enough and chose to come get me?! I may not be about to win this Duel, Alexis you worm, but I'm sure as hell not about to let someone like _you_ win it either! I activate… my very own Trap card… _Ring of Destruction!_"

Ruin glowed with the fires of two Trap Cards, and as she knelt down under the force of Alexis's Ritual Sealing, a large collar rigged with explosives appeared around her neck.

"That's-!"

"Ring of Destruction." Wisteria said coldly, lowering her stance and Duel Disk. "A Trap Card that allows me to select one face-up monster on the Field, and inflict damage to both players equal to that monster's Attack Points. Right now, Ruin has 4600, though even if she were in her original state, the power would be more than enough to wipe us both out to begin with!"

"But, if you use that you won't win either!" Alexis shouted.

"I already told you didn't I?" Wisteria scowled. "I never once cared about the Inter-School Duel! Winning or losing, at this place I could care less about such things! But I just can't allow myself to lose to someone as deluded and foolhardy as you!" she stretched her hand forward, and clenched it tight. "Now, Ruin… obey your master now! I command you… _EXPLODE!_"

The collar glowed, and the stadium erupted, vanishing in the light of a devastating explosion.

For a while, no one was sure what happened. The smoke was too hard to see through, and many of the students and other visitors had taken to squinting in hopes of eyeing either of the participating Duelists.

It took a while, but finally, after much silence, the smoke began to clear.

The Field was all but gone, scorched to hell in what had been the most overpowering use of Ring of Destruction yet. Alexis was on her knees, struggling to breathe, and across from her... Wisteria stood firm, her eyes flashing in a mixture of distaste and annoyance.

**ALEXIS – 0 LP**

**WISTERIA – 0 LP**

"It's… a… tie…?" Alexis panted softly, looking at her opponent in surprise.

"I may be the villain, and I'm fine with that." Wisteria said softly. "But don't think that means that you and the rest of Duel Academy get to act like you're better than me, because as far as I'm concerned, you all are just as much monsters as I am. Be wary, Rhodes, for when you stare into the abyss… know that the abyss… stares back."

""Alexis!""

The other representatives ran toward the pair, climbing onto the Field to ensure the girl wasn't hurt.

"Hey, are you alright?!" Jaden was the first to ask, kneeling down to check on the Obelisk.

"I'm fine, Jaden." Alexis said, glancing at the Slifer with a sigh. "Though I suppose I should thank you for asking."

"Hehe…" Jaden laughed to himself, as if she had said something funny.

"Still, that was a remarkable strategy at the end there." Bastion mused, glancing toward the wayward Wisteria. "Having Ring of Destruction set like that. She was prepared to use an alternative method if her first plan failed… though if it were me, I'd have been sure to win!"

"Oh whatever nerd!" Chazz scowled. "The important thing is that Alexis isn't going to scar- I mean… that she's alright!"

"As always, everyone rushes to protect the Queen of Duel Academy." Wisteria muttered, glaring at the group softly. "Though I suppose this is to be expected. You were a student here once after all, Chazz."

"Hmph. Yeah, that's right." Chazz frowned. "So you should be glad that I'm not gonna hold this Duel against you!"

"As if I care what you think." The girl spat, brushing past him on the way to her true target.

Konami straightened his back, watching the girl approach him with a wary eye.

"Our deal is complete, Kodo-san." Wisteria said firmly. "You had your victory, and they have the truth. With this, there's no reason for us to concern ourselves with each other any longer. That being said, I can't help but be a little proud of myself."

"Proud of yourself?" Konami asked incredulously, his urge to glare at the girl rising.

"Of course. And of you, in a twisted, roundabout sort of way." Wisteria admitted. "I would have never thought you'd have it in you to actually _scheme_ against me. Hate and despise, certainly, but _scheme_? Fufu, why Konami-san, I do believe you've gained a bit of respect in my eyes, just a bit… even if you are crybaby." She added, referencing his earlier state.

"Oi!" Konami warned.

Wisteria waved him down before moving forward, only to stop yet again when they were side by side. She turned her head slightly, moving her lips to Konami's ear so only he could hear.

"Oh, but Konami, if you _ever _tell my enemies about my Decklist again… King or not, Better Duelist or not, I will kill you. Both figuratively… _and_ literally."

She tossed her hair and walked off, leaving the group in the smoldering remains of the Field.

"And there she goes." Jaden said, watching her leave. "Soooo, what was all that about Konami? Something you wanna tell the rest of us?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Konami asked, raising a brow at the Slifer's curiosity.

"We would!" Bastion interrupted. "For Academic purposes of course!"

"Everything's academic with you, Bastion." Konami deadpanned.

The Ra Yellow folded his arms. "Hmph! No one ever tells me anything these days…"

"Whatever! Who cares about that?!" Chazz snapped, glaring at the group before kneeling down in front of Alexis. "Are you alright? That nasty old North Academy student didn't hurt you any did she?"

Sighing, Alexis rose from her seated position, waving Chazz off to regain her personal space. "Chazz, did you ever stop to think that _you're_ a "nasty old North Academy student" too now?"

"Wha-? But- You can't compare the two of us!" Chazz shouted indignantly. "We're on completely different levels!"

"I dunno about that." Konami muttered. "The way she used Ring of Destruction is how lots of the students said you used it Chazz."

"You shut up Slacker! No one asked you!" Chazz scowled.

As the group continued to murmur and discuss, Chancellor Sheppard coughed from the sidelines, turning to exchange a glance with his fellow Dean.

"Well, it seems the first one came down to a tie." He said softly, smiling cheerfully at Headmaster Foster. "It seems you have some promising Duelists this time. A pity you had to steal them all from Duel Academy."

"Hmph. I didn't steal anything." Headmaster Foster smirked. "I merely picked them up when they were down. Ms. Fujiwara is correct however. From what I hear your students were rather… unbecoming when it came to my own student."

"We all make mistakes Foster. What matters is that we move on from them, and learn to forgive."

"Hmph. Whatever you say Dumbledore." Headmaster Foster teased.

Chancellor Sheppard frowned at the name, but didn't respond.

"Besides," Headmaster Foster continued, "is this really alright? Your school's dirty laundry is being aired on public television after all."

Chancellor Sheppard grumbled something beneath his breath at that, but made no move to retort. Turning his head back to the confused and muttering students in the audience, Chancellor Sheppard rose, finally seeing fit to end the first day's events. He raised his hands to silence the stadium, and opened his mouth to speak.

"The Duel… is over!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing out throughout the stadium walls. "The outcome… is clear!"

The students again began to mutter and converse quietly, each of them wondering what the man meant.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… we have a tie!" Sheppard exclaimed.

And so the day came to an end.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five**

* * *

**END**


	26. Laugh X Chaff

Two hours later found Konami sitting in the Chancellor's Office, across from the big man himself. After his dismissal of the audience and the School Representatives, Chancellor Sheppard had seen fit to approach Konami during the boy's return to the Main Hall, and somehow had managed to goad him into a meeting…

…which was where they stood. Or sat, if you'd prefer.

"Hm… it would seem that quite some time has passed since we last spoke, hasn't it Mr. Kodo?" Chancellor Sheppard asked cheerfully, his sunny demeanor not lost on the confused, if not wary, representative.

"Yes, sir." Konami nodded in agreement, glancing around the room strangely. "Sorry, but was there a reason you called me here in particular? I don't really know what business the Chancellor of a rival school has with a North Academy Student like me."

"Well, you certainly know how to get to the point don't you?" Sheppard laughed. "There's no need to be concerned. I was merely interested in hearing how you're fitting in with your new… classmates. As your peer said earlier, we too, as members of the Duel Academy Faculty, are partly to blame for your situation. Had we realized what sort of bullying was taking place, know that we would not have hesitated to act-"

"Dr. Crowler too?" Konami asked incredulously.

Chancellor Sheppard smiled wryly. "Yes, well, I suppose _most_ of us would have acted immediately… Regardless, let us not mince words. Regardless of how it happened, you came to find yourself at North Academy, and oh what a time you must have had! Tell me, how was it possible that you, a Transfer Student who'd arrived less than a week ago, managed to make your way to the top of North Academy's Dueling Roster so quickly?"

"I had a little help." Konami shrugged.

"Help?" Chancellor Sheppard blinked in surprise. "Yes! I suppose Mr. Princeton being there did help speed things along a bit didn't it? I should probably find the time to exchange words with him as well, though I daresay he may not be as… _accommodating_, as you've been!"

"Probably not. Chazz is pretty wound up as it is," Konami explained, "especially with his brothers breathing down his neck about this whole Inter-School Duel thing."

"Yes. I believe everyone is a bit wound up at the moment. First the situation with the Placement Duels, and now the mayhem occurring here… it seems you've had quite the exciting year so far, hm?" the Chancellor inquired.

"I guess so. It's not exactly what I was expecting, that's for sure." Konami said. "That's not to say that it's been all bad though! I mean, it's had its ups and downs, but I met some good people… and some bad ones too."

"Ah yes. Your rumored friendship with the other representatives, yes?" Chancellor Sheppard asked.

Konami felt it a bit strange that the man would know so much about his personal life, but he nodded nonetheless. "Yeah, that's right. Jaden's a pretty energetic guy, and Bastion isn't that bad once you get used to him. I don't think I'm as close to Alexis, Chazz, or Wisteria as you think I am though."

"Ha! That's too bad. I'm sure they'd be able to offer some unique insight into the situations you seem to get yourself into." The Chancellor laughed.

"I didn't think the Chancellor had any say in who became friends with who, especially when it comes to students of different academies." Konami said.

Chancellor Sheppard stopped laughing at the boy's words, and his face took on a deep, thoughtful expression.

"Tell me Konami," he said, using the former Slifer's first name, "what are your plans from here on out. Participate in the Inter-School Duel, certainly, but what do you plan to do from there? Do you intend to return to North Academy with the rest of your peers following the event's end?"

_Another personal question_, Konami thought. Why was the Chancellor so interested in him? He certainly hadn't seemed to show any interest prior to his departure for North Academy, so why now? It was suspicious… or maybe the man was just sating his curiosity. Either way, Konami felt uneasy.

"Actually, I was planning on coming back to Duel Academy." Konami explained, slowly. The man would have found out eventually anyway, he decided, so why not tell him? "North Academy is nice and all, but the atmosphere there is a little too… unfriendly."

Not to mention cold. Brr!

Chancellor Sheppard smiled. "I thought so! I could see it in your eyes. Of course, you realize that since you never technically dropped out, you are _still_ a student here, don't you?"

"I- Wait, what?" Konami asked. "I am?"

"Quite so! Though, since you _have_ failed to show up for a majority of your classes, I'm afraid that if you do intend on returning once the event is over, it will have to be as a true Slifer Red. Though given the circumstances of your initial arrival here… I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem, am I right?"

"Wha- Of course not." Konami said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I was already living in the dorms there anyway. Nothing's really changed."

"Well then, it's settled!" the Chancellor laughed. "Imagine the look on Foster's face when he finds out!"

Konami thought of telling the man that Headmaster Foster already _knew_ Konami was planning on returning, but decided not to bust his bubble. After all, it was glad to see that the man didn't know _everything_ about his personal life.

"Well, I guess that concludes this fun little meeting of ours, Mr. Kodo." Sheppard said. "It was a good talk, I think."

Konami nodded.

The boy was just about to stand when the Chancellor's private messaging system beeped, and his secretary's voice rang through the air lightly.

"Chancellor Sheppard sir? Dr. Crowler is here to see you."

"Crowler?" Sheppard asked in surprise. "Oh yes, I did call for him didn't I? Something about all the students who have been losing their cards recently…"

Konami blinked. Students had been losing cards? His first thought was that they had simply misplaced them, but given that it was a _horde_ of students, and not just one or two…

Theft? At Duel Academy? Once upon a time Konami might have laughed at the idea, but having seen firsthand the nature of man, he couldn't help but wonder…

"Send him in." the Chancellor's voice broke Konami from his thoughts, and the doors parted way to reveal the ever-fabulous Doctor.

"_Chancellor!_" the man screeched, his voice grating Konami's eardrums. "You simply must do something about these thefts! Just this morning, two more of my Obelisks were attacked, and I-!" Crowler paused, having noticed Konami for the first time. "What?! Chancellor Sheppard, what is he doing here?! He's a student of North Academy! Ah-ha! I've got it! You were the one responsible, weren't you, you little thief!"

"Crowler, Mr. Kodo here is a guest of mine," Chancellor Sheppard interrupted, "and rest assured that he had nothing to do with whatever "attack" befell your precious Obelisks. Why, he was in the stadium with the other representatives, and I'm sure there are hundreds of audience members who'd be willing to dispute your claim. Do try to think before you speak, eh?"

The lipstick-wearing teacher gawked. "What?! Well… Yes. I suppose that was rather senseless of me wasn't it? Besides, now that I think of it these thefts had been taking place before North Academy even arrived! Hmph. I wonder if that slacker Jaden had anything to do with this!"

…and there it was. Despite himself, Konami smiled. It was good to see that not everything had changed while he was gone. It seemed as though Crowler's hate for Jaden was as strong as ever. Even so, Jaden as a thief? Konami just didn't see it. The boy simply didn't have the demeanor. In fact, Konami would bet a fortune that Jaden would have ousted himself on accident a day into his gig, especially with as much as the Slifer loved to talk.

"Is there something on your mind, Mr. Kodo?" Chancellor Sheppard asked curiously, noting Konami's thoughtful expression.

"Huh? No. We're done right? I think I'll get out of your way." Konami said, rising from his seat.

"Actually…" the Chancellor interrupted, "How would you like to get some extra credit?"

Konami paused, and turned to stare at the Chancellor with a deadpan expression. He really hoped this wasn't going where he thought it was.

Oh god it was.

"The past few weeks, several students have reported their cards missing or otherwise stolen. Ordinarily, I would deem this a mere coincidence, but there are far too many similarities in each case for this to be taken lightly. First, the victim reports the card missing only after having been defeated by a mysterious figure clothed in blue. Second, each victim thus far have belonged to only a single dorm… Obelisk Blue. It is as such that my belief is as follows: the victims are not being chosen at random. Whoever is targeting my students must have a grudge against them for any number of reasons, and as a result have taken to cowardly facing them in the shadows, for they fear retribution if forced to the light. My request of you, should you choose to accept, is this; discover the identity of the culprit, and see to it that they see fit to never harm the students of Duel Academy again."

"Is this message going to self-destruct anytime soon?" Konami asked.

"I'm afraid not." The Chancellor laughed. "So, I take it you accept?"

Dr. Crowler scowled. "Chancellor! You mustn't concern a North Academy student with the plights of Duel Academy! What do you think Foster will do when he finds out?!"

"Ah, that is precisely why my dear friend _won't_ be finding out, right?" Chancellor Sheppard asked Konami, earning a slow, steady nod from the boy. "Besides, believe it or not, Konami here will be returning to Duel Academy at the end of the week! Surely it'd be fine for a student of Duel Academy to find interest making the campus safe for themselves and others?"

Again, Crowler scowled, folding his arms like a petulant child. "Well, fine! But I still don't like it! Perhaps I should lend one of my Obelisks to the search as well! Two minds are better than one, after all!"

"Indeed." Chancellor Sheppard agreed. "I'm sure Mr. Kodo has a few people he'd love to ask for assistance as well, no?"

Konami didn't miss the context of Sheppard's words. The message was simple: he'd need help, and what better help was there than that of the smartest person Konami knew?

Leaving the man's office, Konami adjusted his cap.

It seemed like it was time to pay Bastion a visit.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Five**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

"So let me get this straight. Chancellor Sheppard asked you, _you_, who's not even a present student of Duel Academy, if you wanted extra credit by helping him catch some… mysterious blue assailant?" Bastion asked.

"That's right." Konami nodded, pleased that he wouldn't have to spend all his time explaining the same thing multiple times. "Glad to see you can still state the obvious, Bastion."

The Ra Yellow snorted, waving Konami's words off like fine wine. "Very well. I'll assist you in this endeavor."

"Wha-? Just like that?" Konami asked incredulously.

"Yes. Just like that. Unless you'd rather have me send you on a few fetch quests before getting me to join your party." Bastion said, raising an eyebrow in question. "If so I have been meaning to pick up a few new cards. The new _Burst Stream_ set is out after all, and I-"

"Hold it, Bastion. I'm not about to waste all my free time getting _you_ new cards to use against me in our upcoming Duel. I'll settle on taking you for free, thanks." Konami deadpanned.

"I should have known." Bastion sighed. "Very well then. I assume you have some manner of plan in regards to this… search for our dastardly foe?"

"I'm… working on one, yeah."

"Oh really? Well, go on then, let me hear it." Bastion said, leaning back in his chair comfortably.

"Well, it's more like part of a plan, but I was thinking we could head out and talk to the victims, find out just what they saw, or heard, or anything that might give us an idea of just what we're dealing with here."

"Simple, but to the point. I like it." Bastion said, "Of course, your method is rather time consuming, and I assume the Chancellor wants this over and done with as quickly as possible?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess?" Konami shrugged. In truth, the Chancellor had said anything about any time constraints, but it'd be logical to assume the quicker the better, right?

"Yes. Well, right then." Bastion said, turning back to his computer and hacking his way into the school's database. More specifically, Chancellor Sheppard's private documents.

**Sheppard Samejima**

_School Funds  
Applications  
Crowler – I Hate That Slacker!  
It's Me – Transfer Application for "Konami Kodo"  
Tournament Fundraisers  
Fonda Fontaine – Slifer Red Dorm Request  
Crowler – Too Many Slifers!  
Yuma – Why is a Boy in My Dorm? Get Him Out Now.  
Crowler – Expulsion Request: Slifer Slacker/Jaden Yuki  
Crowler – Placement Duel Edit Request: Jaden/Chazz, Kami/Konami  
Fujiwara Foundations – Notice of Transfer  
The Chazz – I'm Leaving!  
Kami – You Haven't Heard the Last of Me!  
The Chazz – Now I'm Really Leaving!  
Alexis Rhodes – Bullying  
The Chazz – That's It! I'm Gone!  
Kami – Expulsion Request: Wisteria Fujiwara/Konami Kodo  
Yuma – Missing Student. Find or be Eaten.  
Zane's Brother – Transfer Student's Room  
Kami – What Do You Mean I Can't File a Complaint?!  
Card Shop – Missing Golden Egg Sandwiches  
Chumley – That One Guy's Room  
Zane – Students Are Missing Cards…  
Headmaster Foster – You won't win this time! :P  
Yuma – Cease and Desist (Referring to the treatment of Transfer Student's Room)  
__**Dr. Crowler – More Victims of "Duel Giant"**__  
Headmaster Foster – The Time is Near!  
Aliens Real? Strong Material Found at Crash Site Years Ago, Former Industrial Illusions Employee Reveals  
Pegasus Discusses Possible Future of Duel Monsters  
Domino City Expansion Act Passed  
XXX – NSFW – Hottest Secretaries of 2006  
Project Neo – Government Secrets! They're Testing Nukes in Domino!  
Banner – Sacred Beasts  
Sartorius – Enlightenment Is Coming Soon  
To Kaiba – Is Dr. Crowler Allowed to Wear Such Things?  
It's Me – How's My Charity Case Doing?  
Kaiba – Duel Academy's Faculty Dress Code  
Alexis – Question on Brother's "Trip"  
Astronomy Club – Planets Will Align This Year. Why Were You Curious?  
Banner – Jaden must be tested  
Are Mystery Sandwiches Bad for You?  
Stay Cool – How to be Hip!  
CardGames – The New Sensation Sweeping the Nation, Cardfight!  
It's Me – What The Hell Is Cardfight Vanguard?  
Kaiba – Stop Fooling Around. Blue Eyes is All I Need  
Headmaster Foster – We're Almost There!  
? – The Time is Near, Old Friend  
Kami – I've Hired Someone, Since You Won't  
Missing Students_

Having clicked on the "Victims" link upon seeing it, Bastion easily pulled up the names and testimonies of all those known to be involved.

"Hm…" the Ra Yellow mused. "Looks like Dr. Crowler was right. Obelisk Blue students _are_ the only ones being attacked. Though these other documents and emails…"

"Looks like he's pretty interested in Jaden for some reason." Konami said in an offhand manner, though he was focusing more on something else.

_It's Me…_ It's who? If the comments were anything to go by, this "It's Me" person was the one responsible for his Transfer to the school. It wasn't as if he knew any _other_ Transfer Students at Duel Academy after all. Chancellor Sheppard must have known who it was. It begged further investigation… and what was all this nonsense about people he knew emailing the Chancellor…? No wonder the man knew so much about him, if that was the case!

"Erm… Konami? Are you still with me?" Bastion asked, snapping his fingers in front of the teen's vacant eyes.

"Huh?! What?!" Konami asked hurriedly, stumbling back and glancing at his surroundings. "What the hell was that, Bastion!?"

"Welcome back." The genius muttered, smirking softly at the North Academy King. "I was just telling you that I've managed to secure a list of suspects."

"A list of- Wait what?! I thought you were looking at the victim list!" Konami said, moving forward to stare at the changing computer screen with Bastion.

"Well I was, at least until I noticed similar patterns in the behavior and locations of their attacks. From there, I merely needed to examine those similarities until something unusual popped up."

The sound of Bastion's printer suddenly rang out, and a small list detailing possible suspects was made into being.

"Bastion…" Konami whispered softly, "you're amazing."

"Well I try." Bastion said, basking in his glory. "Though I'm certain anyone could have done it, provided they had the same high-speed processor and information in technology that I have. Really, it was just a matter of using my abilities to their fullest to ensure that the most desired outcome was achieved-"

"Bastion." Konami interrupted, staring at the suspect list studiously. "I get it."

"Ah… right." The Ra Yellow said, blushing upon realizing that he'd nearly gone off on a rant. "Well then, I'll print out an additional copy for you to look over tonight. Then, first thing tomorrow, we'll discover which of these students has been stealing cards, and bring them to justice!"

Following Bastion's dramatic declaration, the two had parted ways. By that, I of course mean that Konami left. Why would Bastion leave? It was his room they were in. There was no reason for him to leave. So he didn't. Konami did.

It was dark as Konami walked the path leading back to the Main Hall, and yet, the contents of Chancellor Sheppard's documents continued to haunt his mind.

It seemed Kami still had it out for him and Wisteria, and the knowledge that Chancellor Sheppard knew whoever it was that gave Konami a chance to attend Duel Academy in the first place certainly didn't make the boy rest any easier. Just who was it that paid the tuition, and why were they keeping their identity secret?

Not only that, but since when did Yuma eat people? Konami would've thought that being a cannibal is definitely something she should've brought up during their first encounter, and given how he'd been told that she'd been spending so much time with Chumley and Syrus as of late, Konami was pretty sure they'd like to know that little tidbit of information as well. And speaking of Yuma… where in the world had she been? He would've thought that she'd be one of the first people to greet him upon his return to Duel Academy, but it seemed that wasn't necessarily the case. Well, maybe she was just busy with events in her own life, Konami knew firsthand how strange things could get-

No sooner did he finish that thought did a pained cry reach his ears, followed by a low, guttural growl that easily echoed across the landscape.

Konami looked up toward the sounds, and lo and behold, his questions were answered.

Yuma stood firmly in the grass, facing down a large, shadowy figure whose silhouette was easily twice her size. Slowly, a large, skeletal figure emerged from the grass before the man's silhouette quickly, as if having been called from the abyss itself.

Wait. No, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't just a skeletal figure. It was muscular, far too large and bulky to be compared to the likes of a single Skull Servant.

No. The creature had bony horns protruding from the side of its face, and a pair of shaded, bat-like wings leapt out from its exposed shoulder blades. Once the creature had finished its ascension, and exposed itself powerfully, Konami stilled.

He recognized it of course. It was a famous creature among the players of Duel Monsters, having been a card that even the Champion, Yugi Muto, used.

The Summoned Skull.

Lightning cracked and fizzled around the demonic Fiend as it roared a second time, breaking Konami from his thoughts.

Yuma was partaking in a Duel? At that time of night? While it certainly wouldn't be the first time a Duel occurred after hours Konami admitted that it was rather unexpected. Still, the proof was before him. Yuma was in a Duel, and a fierce one by the looks of it!

Small wisps of fog crept across the Field as the Duel continued, and swiftly, Konami ran forward, intending to get a better view of the mortal kombat/combat taking place.

"Yuma!" Konami shouted as he neared the scene, undeniably breaking the girl's concentration during what he didn't know was a critical moment.

The brown-haired Obelisk blinked in surprise at being addressed by name, and she turned, away from her foe, away from the Summoned Skull, to face the speaker with wide eyes.

"Konami… kun?" she asked, her stance faltering at the boy's sudden appearance. "What're you...? Wait, no!"

She quickly turned back to face her large, bulky opponent, but it was too late. A large flash roared from the giant's person, illuminating the area in a wave of white light. Konami and Yuma both cried out in agony and surprise, covering their eyes to shield themselves from the burning, bright sensation.

When it faded, the man, and the Summoned Skull, were gone.

"Darn it!" Yuma cursed, kneeling down and punching the grass in a fit of rage. "I almost had him!" she turned to Konami, her eyes glistening with angry tears, or was it just the aftereffects of that flashbang? "You couldn't have waited like, another five minutes or something? I was just about to beat the guy!"

"Huh?" Konami asked in confusion. "Don't tell me… he ran away…?"

"Of course he ran away!" Yuma said, shaking her head in discontent. "Just when I had managed to push him into a corner too…!"

"I'm sorry." Konami apologized, setting a hand on the girl's shoulder for support. "I didn't realize he was a coward who'd flee at the first chance they got. Who was that guy anyway?"

Yuma's eyes narrowed, and she rose back to her feet. "That guy was the Duel Giant everyone's been so worked up about! Rumor has it he's been running around stealing people's cards…"

"That guy was the Duel Giant?" Konami asked in surprise. "I guess that explains the name…"

"Right?" Yuma asked with a pleased smile. "I'll admit it caught me off guard too, seeing how big the guy was. I never would've thought someone that huge could've existed, much less be a student at our school."

"Mm…" Konami nodded his head in agreement, glancing at the spot where the man had disappeared. "Hey, but wait a minute. What're you doing Dueling the guy anyway? He's supposed to be dangerous, isn't he?"

"Oh come off it!" Yuma said. "Dr. Crowler asked me to help track the guy down. Truthfully, he was hoping Alexis or Zane would be available to do it instead, but since neither of them were around…"

"…he chose you. I understand." Konami said.

"Well, enough about me and the Duel you interrupted." Yuma said, glaring at Konami for a brief moment at the reminder. "What the hell have _you_ been up to, throwing your lot in with those North Academy guys? How come you didn't bother to tell anyone you were leaving? We were pretty worried you know?"

"Sorry. I just didn't think it was that big of a deal." Konami said honestly. "And… it was more of a spur of the moment kind of thing."

"Spur of the moment huh?" Yuma asked. "You mean like this?"

Konami raised a brow curiously. "Like what?"

"This." Yuma said, and suddenly Konami was on his back.

Yuma was on top of him, her fingers curled neatly around his throat. His head lulled back and forth, and suddenly it occurred to him.

He was being throttled.

"Think you can just run off without telling _me_ huh? Think you can just stroll back here and interrupt my investigation-!" Yuma shouted, throttling the boy by the neck. "You didn't even mention North Academy to me! Isn't that the kind of thing best friends are supposed to share with each other?!"

Konami wondered if it'd be a good idea to tell Yuma that while he was certainly _her_ best friend (and probably her only one, given the way she was treating him, _Bastion most certainly didn't count_) she was most certainly (probably) not his.

Now that he thought about it, who _was_ his best friend? He wasn't necessarily close to anyone at the moment, and while he'd certainly befriended, or at least become acquainted with several students in the school, going so far as to call them _besties_...?

Konami was forced to delay any further thought on the matter when he realized Yuma had no intention of stopping her assault on his person. Grabbing her warm, smooth hands with his own, he attempted to pry her fingers off while trying to calm the situation, prolonging his own life.

"Already trying to throttle me Yuma? It's not even the first date." Konami said, pushing the girl off him as gently as he could.

That, of course, meant shoving her roughly.

"Wha-? That's not funny you creep!" Yuma cursed, rising from her position in the dirt as she spoke. "Seriously, last time you said something like that Bastion got the wrong idea!"

Yuma had puffed the side of her cheek out while she spoke, and when she folded her arms to complete the posture, Konami thought it was remarkably similar to something one would expect from a six year old.

"It's good to see you too." he said, deciding it wouldn't be in his best interest to open _that_ can of worms.

Yuma smiled after a moment, and all was right with the world.

Well, no it wasn't, but you catch my drift.

"So, about how you were dueling that guy back there…" Konami tried several minutes later, walking the girl back to her Dorm.

"Oh, right. I guess I kinda got sidetracked when my dear _friend_ decided to show up as a school representative after disappearing for who knows how long." Yuma said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Dr. Crowler asked me to help out with this whole "missing cards" thing the Obelisks have going on. Considering how he was ranting about how Chancellor Sheppard got you involved, I'm guessing you already know the basics?"

"Yeah." Konami nodded, agreeing with Yuma's decision to skip what everyone already knew. Too bad it wouldn't stop him from recapping it anyway. "The Obelisks have been getting targeted, right? Something about their cards winding up missing during Duels and the like."

"Right." Yuma said, branching off of what Konami mentioned. "At first I had chalked it up to Ante Duels, but most of the victims say that they would have remembered agreeing to such a thing. The problem is, some of the students _do_ remember agreeing to one, but the school's database doesn't have any record of the Duels itself. That means that whoever this Duel Giant is, they're smart enough to know better than to go around terrorizing everyone with a school Duel Disk, _and_ have the skills to defeat the "elite" in high-risk Duels."

"Yeah. Even though it may not show the outcome, the school would still be able to verify who was Dueling who if that was the case." Konami mumbled softly. "That still doesn't explain how you managed to track him down tonight though."

"Heh, that part's simple!" Yuma said cheerfully. "I challenged him of course! Left a note right out in plain view in the Entrance Lobby of the Main Hall! Nearly everyone would have seen it, and now that I know what his body looks like, it'll be that much easier for me to hunt him down next time!"

"His body…? I don't see how that's important- oh! You're talking about that huge, bulky physique of his, right?" Konami realized, recalling the man's giant figure. "Of course… With a body like that there's not too many students who would fit the bill. In fact, I think there's only a handful on that suspect list Bastion gave me!"

"Bastion?" Yuma wrinkled her nose. "What's he got to do with this?"

"Ah, I asked him for help in solving this little mystery." Konami said. "You've got to admit he's a pretty smart guy, and it only took him a few minutes to hack into the school's database and pull up a list of potential suspects-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What do you mean asked _him_ for help?!" Yuma shouted. "You mean you went to him without even thinking of greeting me?! That's just great, Red Cap!"

"Hat." Konami corrected.

"Glad to know I rate "so high" on your list of priorities! And what's all this about hacking?! You could be expelled for that you know?!"

Konami waved her concerns off with ease. "Bastion maybe. But you're forgetting Yuma, I'm a _North Academy_ Student right now!"

"A North Academy Student who is also a Duel Academy Student, or did you already forget what Chancellor Sheppard told you?" the wise old voice of a familiar old man whispered behind the pair.

Yuma didn't seem at all surprised, but Konami still felt the urge to jump. He hid it well, he thought.

He didn't.

"It's you." Konami said, turning slowly to face the wheelchair-bound man.

"Indeed, it is I."

"He just said that." Yuma deadpanned.

The old man ignored her. "I see you have returned, child. Come to pay the piper at last?" the old man asked.

"Not at all." Konami retorted easily. "On the contrary, the piper's come to pay me. You aren't here to tell me that "the Duel Energy is strong tonight" or some other nonsense are you, because I think I've had enough of that the first two times."

"Hmm…" the old man chuckled. "Not tonight I'm afraid. The time is not yet upon us to witness another Destined Duel. Perhaps later this week… perhaps not. How was your stay at North Academy?"

"Cold."

"Just cold?" the old man raised a brow in amusement.

Konami shrugged. "Cold. Chilly. Icy. Freezing. Whatever word you want to use. It was out in the artic, I'm sure you have at least _some_ idea of how it must have felt. Oh, and you wouldn't believe the stuff I had to put up with on the way there. Piece of advice, _never_ share a boat with a Princeton. They're just as likely to sink it as throw you overboard."

"Sounds rough." Yuma offered. "But enough about your misadventures at sea. I'm more interested in finding out what the pervert's doing here. I wasn't expecting to run into him tonight."

"Dear Yuma, surely you know better than to speak of me as if I weren't here? And for your information, I was just taking a stroll." The old man explained with a mysterious smile. "Though… I must admit that I was a little curious… as to how you've grown, Konami. You've changed a little, that much is certain… but I am not yet sure as to whether or not it is for the better."

"How about you Duel me and find out?" Konami asked. "It'd be faster than sitting around swapping stories all night, right?"

"A Duel…? With me?" the old man laughed. "I will say that I am intrigued, but I'm afraid I have not the time or energy to play with you tonight. Besides, surely you have more important things to do than beat on a weak old man?"

"There's nothing weak about you, oldtimer." Yuma said. "But he does have a point, Red Cap. Nothing good would come of facing him right now."

"It's "Red Hat", and why the hell not? It's not like anything else is getting done around here." Konami muttered.

"Indeed, with the culprit gone it seems that the fun for tonight has indeed come to an end. Nonetheless, I see no reason to impart upon you the true wisdom of Duel Monsters just yet." the man laughed. "It is quite rare for one to catch my eye, child. You should not rush through your days so quickly, lest you end up like Yuma."

Yuma seemed to scowl at the man's words, and Konami wondered whether or not she felt insulted.

With nothing more to say, the man began to wheel himself away, only for Konami to again feel a sudden urge to stop him.

"Hold on a second, old man." Konami said, a sudden burst of insight rearing its head. "You wouldn't happen to be the one who paid my tuition, were you?"

The man turned his head back slowly, and gave Konami an almost pitying look.

"_Pft._" he laughed, with an immensely amused gaze. "You think I'd waste my Social Security on the likes of a child- no, _worm_ like you? I'm old, not stupid."

He turned, and wheeled himself away.

"No need to be so rude about it." Konami grumbled after him, but he knew his words fell on deaf ears.

Well, at least now he had one less person to cross off his list. Now all he had to do was question the others… or ask the Chancellor directly, but that'd make too much sense in the world of Duel Monsters.

**-GX-**

**Konami returned to the Main Hall after dropping Yuma off, and, after a few hours of bickering with Chazz and of course the obligatory yet extremely sensual chat with Wisteria, went to sleep.**

**-GX-**

The following morning left Konami surprisingly refreshed, in no small part due to the lack of horrific nightmares and knowledge that the Duel Giant would finally be exposed! Despite having only received the side quest/extra credit opportunity only a few days ago, Konami already felt as if his entire being was devoted to solving the case. Perhaps it was the knowledge that thanks to his impromptu run-in with Yuma, and the help he received from Bastion, the suspect list had been more than cut in half? Maybe it was the dream he had of cheerfully running that old man through for calling him a worm and/or mocking his lack of monetary funds? Who cared?! The fact remained, Konami Kodo was gonna kick ass and take names – and he'd start with the asshole that dared tell _those_ two where he was!

"So like, we're so totally sorry that we thought you were like, some super creepy jerk!" Mindy said, walking alongside Konami cheerfully as the boy begrudgingly made his way to the cafeteria.

"Yeah!" Jasmine agreed, having taken the opposite side of Konami to effectively box him in. "I mean, you can't exactly blame us for believing the rumors can you? I mean, all anyone was hearing was about how you'd apparently stolen Kami's virtue only to toss her aside later and take Wisteria as your mistress!"

"_What_." Konami stopped walking. "Who-? No. What-? Wait. _Virtue?!_"

"It was just one of the many rumors." Mindy explained hastily, not wanting the boy to bust a blood vessel. "There were all kinds going around you know. Like the one about you being some sort of Combat Butler, or the one involving you secretly plotting to destroy us all-"

"Mindy!" Jasmine hissed, shushing the girl before she could go even further. "I think that's enough, don't you think?"

"Seems like I'm quite the hot topic." Konami mused, half in annoyance and half in despair that he'd actually have to spend time with those two. "Any ideas on who started the rumors in the first place?"

"Well," Mindy said, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "the number one guess right now is still Dr. Crowler, but even the Slifers think that it's a little too… ingenious for him. I mean like, this is the same guy that gave little Syrus that fake love letter for Alexis you know!"

"_If I remember correctly, that same love letter had you and Jasmine here begging for Syrus and Jaden to be expelled."_ Konami thought dryly, being sure not to say such things aloud.

"Hey." Jasmine said, stopping in her walk to place her hands on her hips. "We really are sorry you know, but if you aren't gonna forgive us then say so now so we can stop wasting our time."

"Wha-! Jasmine! That's no way to treat our dear friend Alexis's friend!" Mindy shouted, stamping her foot at the injustice of it all.

"Oh come off it Mindy!" Jasmine frowned, "You forget that you're the whole reason she's mad at us in the first place! You and that gossiping mouth of yours…"

"Ah, so that's what this is about." Konami said, suddenly understanding. They must have gotten into a fight with Alexis about him. How strange. Still, it did explain why they'd suddenly appeared before him in such a unique manner. He supposed it also explained Alexis's absence from the trio. He'd have to ask her about that later. For now however…

"You two…" he said, cutting off the pointless argument they were about to have. "…were beneath my radar."

He walked away, leaving the two of them shellshocked.

"N-No way…" Mindy whispered, falling to her knees in shock. "I was… I was beneath the radar of an average-looking guy?!"

Jasmine was also horrified at the thought.

They were the Tier Two hotties after all! Spending time with them should have even equated to earning an achievement! It seemed Konami cared not for such things. Well… at least there was a silver lining in that most atrocious of facts.

They were beneath his radar… that meant that technically… he had already forgiven them, right?

…Right?

Leaving the hallway in search of less… "_enthusiastic_" company, Konami resisted the urge to groan. Mindy and Jasmine were just as bubbly and outgoing as he remembered, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Without Alexis around to be their ball and chain, who knew what trouble the boy-loving pair would get into. Briefly, he wondered just what kind of mischief the two would bring about, and shivered, sending a small prayer for whoever was unfortunate enough to be the next inducted into one of their (read Mindy's) Academy Tours.

Jasmine he supposed wasn't so bad, at least not when she going along with whatever plan Mindy had drudged up. Recalling his previous interactions with the girl Konami thought she had been almost normal, save for the typical Slifer-hating a majority of the Obelisk Blue students bore.

Thinking on it no more, Konami yawned and stepped inside the Ra Yellow Dorm. It was to be his first stop of the day. Due to the event classes had been canceled for both schools, and that meant that both he and Bastion would have more than enough time to track down the suspects. Even more so, now that Konami knew two undeniable facts about the culprit:

One, they were huge. Like, David and Goliath huge. It was obvious to both he and Yuma at the time that they didn't mind packing away a few pounds.

Two, they had a thing for bright lights.

How the second piece of information helped Konami didn't know, but he was certain it'd become important sometime.

Stopping outside Bastion's door, Konami raised his hand and knocked twice.

"Hey, Bastion. It's me, you awake in there?"

"Hm? Konami? Yes, Yes, I'm certainly awake if that's what you're asking. I wasn't expecting you for another few hours however. Did something come up?" came the cool, confident response of Duel Academy's resident genius.

"Yeah." Konami replied just as coolly, or so he thought. "There's been a breakthrough, thought I'd stop by and let you know about it. It might make things easier on us in the long run."

There was the sound of stumbling and ruffling sheets, and a few moments later Bastion had opened the door, revealing his unkempt hair and Princess Pikeru Pajamas.

"Erm… I can come back." Konami said slowly, gesturing to the Ra's disposition.

"Nonsense! Time waits for no man!" Bastion exclaimed, shooing Konami inside swiftly.

With the door barred and locked behind them, Bastion sighed and slumped back down into his messy bed.

"Now then, what was this you were saying about a breakthrough? I do hope that it's actually something important. I was in the middle of some rather important business I'll have you know."

Konami took the moment to examine his surroundings. True enough, Bastion's room did look as though a hurricane, or some other form of natural disaster, had torn through. Magazines and cards lay scattered about his domain, and if it weren't for the boy's presence in the room itself, Konami wouldn't have guessed that it ever belonged to Bastion Misawa. He spotted a small magazine article about Magician's Valkyria (yes, _not_ the Dark Magician Girl), and snorted.

Bastion certainly was busy alright, preparing for a date with Rosy Palms, no doubt.

"I ran into Yuma last night," Konami said, deciding to get to the crux of the situation. "She was in the middle of a Duel with the culprit."

"What? Yuma was? Well where is she? How did it go?! Is she alright?!" Bastion asked hurriedly, concerned for the girl's safety.

Konami waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, she's fine. The thing is, the culprit! Well, he's huge!"

"Well he is called the Duel _Giant…_" Bastion murmured, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"No, you don't understand." Konami said. "I mean, he was _huge_. Like, not the size of a student huge. He was easily twice Yuma's size, and I'm talking height _and_ weight here."

"She's really not _that_ tall… about your size, I'd suspect." Bastion mused. "And she certainly doesn't look like she weighs much."

"Try saying that when she's sitting on top of _you!_" Konami retorted.

"Wha-?" Bastion cut himself off, not wanting to know when Yuma had the time to "get on top". Instead, he focused on the problem at hand. "So, twice her height hmm? Well that certainly narrows down the list of suspects, doesn't it?"

"Right?" Konami agreed. "I thought the same thing. It's why I figured I'd come down here and talk to you about it. The list you gave me doesn't include faces and full-body shots, so I wanted to ask you, who on this list can fit the description of a tall, musclebound heavy hitter."

"Not many of them I assure you." Bastion stated, moving from his bed to the computer to pull up the more detailed list in his Documents Tab. "In fact… only one of them fits the bill! Beauregard Ohara. But for it to be him… well, you must admit it's quite shocking."

"Why? Is there something special about him?" Konami asked.

"Not in particular. It's just… well, Beauregard isn't exactly known for being all that intimidating, despite his sheer size. In fact, one might say he's more likely to run _from_ a Duel than participate in one to begin with!"

"What a coincidence," Konami murmured, "because that's _exactly_ what he did while dueling Yuma last night."

He left Bastion to ponder these facts alone, knowing that if he was going to get some answers, he'd have to speak to the giant himself.

It wouldn't come easy however, despite apparently being a Ra Yellow like Bastion, the young genius had no clue where to look for the towering man. Obviously his room was the first place Konami visited, but the doors were locked, and lights out.

As a result, Konami (and Bastion) were forced to resort to scouring the island for any sign of the giant, and before they knew it, night had once again set in.

"Well," Bastion muttered, his body slow and eyes tired, "as lovely as this small venture of ours has been, I do think I'll have to call it a night. There is still the matter of tomorrow to attend to, and while you may have finished preparing your Deck for our rematch, _I_ most certainly have not."

"Don't tell me you're quitting already?" Konami said. "We're barely getting started here!"

"It's past midnight, Konami!" Bastion complained. "And we started nearly twelve hours ago! Really, how hard could it be to find one person?! One might think he's hiding from us, if the difficulty we've endured is anything to go by-"

Konami sighed, scratching the back of his neck gently as he thought on Bastion's words. Though he didn't want to admit it, the boy was right. This… Beauregard character was one tough cookie to come by, and though he didn't admit it, Konami was feeling doubts as to whether or not they'd ever come across him as well.

And they couldn't go to Chancellor Sheppard without something concrete…!

Adjusting his cap softly, Konami bowed his head.

"Alright." he said after a moment, "We'll call it a day, Bastion. Try and get some rest. I don't want you to have all tired and cranky when we Duel."

"Hmph. You don't even know if it will be us dueling tomorrow." Bastion retorted. "For all you know, Chazz and Jaden may be the ones called to the stage!"

"Possibly. Either way, I'd rather you not have any excuses for when I beat you." Konami smirked.

"Oh, don't worry, there won't be." Bastion smirked. "For when our monsters clash next Konami, know that it will once again be mine who stand tall when the smoke clears."

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" Konami said.

Bastion just shot another confident smile at the boy, before turning toward the Ra Yellow Dorms.

In time he had faded into naught but a dot in the distance, and Konami sighed.

"Much as I loathe to admit it I should probably take my own advice too." He thought aloud, leaning back to stare at the sky. "No need to wear myself out before a big day…"

Yata-Garasu cawed above him, the Duel Spirit having nestled itself comfortably upon the boy's cap.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up all you want birdbrain. I didn't see you helping out any today either." Konami grumbled.

The spirit nipped mockingly at Konami's nose, and the student was forced to swiftly shoo the bird away. It cawed again.

"Oh yeah? Well if you're so smart, why don't you point me in the direction of the Duel Giant?"

It raised a wing with a smug expression on its face, and Konami felt the urge to face-palm.

**GX**

"…Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me." Konami deadpanned, trekking through the forests of Duel Academy solemnly.

It had been five minutes since his discussion with Yata-Garasu, and before long, the boy had found himself approaching numerous flashing lights in the distance. Initially, the boy had thought them signal flares from North Academy's submarine, but once it became clear that the lights were coming _away_ from the docks that thought process had been effectively halted.

"Well how about I throw this one on ya!" a youthful, energetic voice shouted in the distance.

Upon hearing the voice Konami stilled, resisting the urge to partake in yet another face-palm.

"_Great."_ he thought. _"Time for my favorite show. __**Jaden Shows Up and Solves Everything.**__"_

He picked up his pace ever so slightly, approaching the clashing sounds of battle and watching in grim dissatisfaction as his suspicions were proven true.

Jaden and Syrus stood in the midst of the clearing, and a tall, muscular figure stood firm across from them. Similar to the earlier Duel Konami had stumbled upon, monsters were already present on the Duel Giant's side of the Field, though unlike before, there was no Summoned Skull.

"I play the Spell _Pot of Greed!_ It lets me draw two more cards!" Jaden shouted, smiling determinedly as he reached for his Deck. "And next I'll summon the Elemental Hero Sparkman in Attack Mode!"

A swirling bolt of lightning appeared on Jaden's empty Field, and the blue/gold warrior of justice soon appeared, holding his fists out offensively.

Elemental Hero Sparkman – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV4 – (1600/1400)

"And as if Sparkman didn't have enough zap at it is," Jaden continued, revealing another Spell Card in his hand, "I equip him with Spark Blaster!"

Suddenly, the weaponless Sparkman was wielding a dark, gun-shaped weapon, a blaster in the truest sense of the word.

"If you don't know what it is, let me tell ya!" Jaden suddenly swiftly. "I got three shots! Each one can change the battle mode of a monster, so I'll use it to swap the battle position of your two Half-Goblins and Giant Orc!"

As Jaden spoke Sparkman was already moving, his blaster firing off the same three shots that Jaden had just mentioned.

Sparks of electricity crackled through the air as the goblin creatures were hit, their faces contorting with surprise and pain as they were forcibly switched into different positions.

Half Goblin – (DARK/Fiend) – LV3 – (500/500)

Half Goblin – (DARK/Fiend) – LV3 – (500/500)

Giant Orc – (Dark/Fiend) – LV4 – (2200/0)

"Oh no!" a small, insect-sized Ra Yellow shouted across from the boy, standing alongside the same person Konami suspected was the Duel Giant.

"Oh yes!" Jaden countered, grabbing yet another Spell from his hand. "Now I play _The Warrior Returning Alive_! This allows me to bring back a Warrior from the Graveyard and I choose Clayman! But wait, there's more! Next I play _Polymerization_ and combine Clayman and Sparkman to create… Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

"_That monster again?! Is it his go-to fusion?!"_ Konami thought from the safety of the trees, watching the Duel thoroughly. _"I remember he used it against Alexis as well…"_

Thunder Giant roared as he crashed down upon the earth, a storm of lightning raging around him with each movement he took.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant – (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) – LV6 – (2400/1500)

"And unlike you two, he's a real giant," Jaden explained, "because when I use his special ability, he can bruise up any monster whose original Attack Points are lower than his own!" Jaden's eyes flashed victoriously. "Like your Giant Orc for example! But that's just the start, because I still have his normal attack, and I'm gonna use it on the Half Goblin!"

Two streams of lightning roared out from the Giant's palm at Jaden's word, smashing into the two monsters he declared. Beauregard and his tiny friend both cried out, taking a step back and shielding themselves as their Life Points began to drop accordingly.

"**DUEL GIANT" – 1100 LP**

**JADEN – 1800 LP**

"Grr… so what?!" the tiny boy shouted finally, glaring at Jaden angrily. "I still have Life Points left!"

"Well… not after this you won't!" Jaden admitted, holding yet _another_ Spell card in his hands. "I activate De-Fusion! It splits my monster into two again!"

Thunder Giant roared once more as De-Fusion's power activated, quickly splitting it back into Sparkman and Clayman respectively. The two heroes stared at their foe solemnly, knowing that the end was at hand.

Sparkman – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV4 – (1600/1400)

Clayman – (EARTH/Warrior) – LV4 – (800/2000)

"_And so it begins."_ Konami thought dryly, watching the scene with a blank expression on his face.

"And guess what?!" Jaden continued, "That means two more attacks on you! Clayman! Go, attack that last Half-Goblin!"

The EARTH Warrior nodded, using it's slightly higher fighting ability to easily dismiss the small Fiend shivering in fear. The resulting explosion once again blinded the tiny man and Beauregard, leaving them to curse as their Life Points dropped once more.

"**DUEL GIANT" – 800 LP**

**Jaden – 1800 LP**

"And now it's Sparkman's turn!" Jaden roared with finality, punching his fist forward as if he was the one doing the fighting. "Go! Attack the Zero Attack Goblin King!"

Sparkman yelled out powerfully, appearing above the small fiend of royalty and smashing his fist into its face. Sparks of electricity flew from the scene, and a great flash of light soon engulfed the area, accompanied only by a Michael Bay worthy explosion.

It was _glorious._

Beauregard and the tiny student crashed to the grass in pain, stray strands of Sparkman's electricity coursing over them softly. As their Life Points slowly fell to Zero, Jaden grinned, and did his customary victory pose, a growing smile appearing on his Kuriboh-haired face.

"And that's game!"

"Hey, you did it Jay!" Syrus shouted, smiling as he walked past the victorious Slifer to stare at the two fallen Ra Yellows.

The large, sandwich-loving Chumley agreed.

"Yeah! Now Jaden's the Giant Slayer!" he had said, earning a shake of the head from everyone around.

"Nrgh, they beat us!" the tiny Ra cursed, struggling to stand. "We're through!"

"No, not we." Beauregard said, rising upward to glance at Jaden hopefully. "Please just turn me in! Forget Briar!"

"Huh?! Beauregard!" the tiny man, _Briar_ – Konami thought, complained.

"I've always been alone and I'm not gonna let them expel you for this, showing me what it means to have… a friend!" the soft-hearted giant explained. "After all didn't we promise to always stand up for each other? Briar you're the best Duelist I've ever seen! I'm not gonna let them kick you outta here!"

"What about you?!" Briar asked worriedly. "What about your dream of being a Game Designer?!"

Beauregard smiled wryly at the reminder. "Not all dreams come true."

"Beauregard…!"

"Hold _everything!_" Jaden said, grinning with delight as he approached the fallen duo. "I'm not turning either of you two in! I know what it's like, to be made fun of!" he explained, staring down at the pair. "Everyone gets a dose of that sometimes, some more than others! We're cool."

"Huh?" Briar asked.

Jaden laughed sheepishly, before pointing at Briar. "I only said I'd turn you in so you'd come out and Duel me! You know, out in the open, so you could realize that you _could_! It was a close Duel Briar, you should be proud!"

Briar studied Jaden for a moment, before nodding his head. "You know Jaden I guess you're right! I did play well in front of people too! And maybe I can do it again."

"Of course you can." Jaden agreed. "I just hope it's not against me!"

Briar laughed, and he turned to his pal Beauregard happily.

"Now get out of here, before Crowler catches you!" Jaden said.

"Thanks Jaden! We'll make good!" Briar said, fleeing into the forest, _right past _Konami.

The two locked eyes for a moment, and Konami turned away, showing that he was fine with Jaden's decision.

"Hey!" Beauregard called after his friend. "Wait up!"

And so, the night came to an end.

_One hour later…_

"And that's what happened Chancellor." Konami explained, having changed the story somewhat to be slightly more comedic and… less intrusive on just _who_ the Duel Giant was.

Obviously, he'd left out the part about hacking the school's database as well.

"I see." Sheppard mused thoughtfully, "So the Duel Giant escaped. Well, that's fine. I'm certain the stolen cards will find their way back somehow."

"Uh… yeah." Konami deadpanned. "So, about that extra credit…"

"Well, no Duel Giant no points I'm afraid!" the Chancellor laughed. "It looks like you'll just have to catch up the old fashioned way!"

Konami face-palmed, and all was right with the world.

Little did they know, the mystery of the Duel Giant had only just begun.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six**

* * *

**END**


	27. Make It X Break It

The screen was black, and the sound of rushing footsteps were heard.

_Running! More Running!_

The screen swept to the sky, and in the place of footsteps, the rising wind roared.

_Flying! More Flying!_

The screen turned black.

**From the minds of Seto Kaiba, Maximillian Pegasus, and a bunch of other unimportant people…**

A desert background was shown, and a figure with long, wavy hair was seen walking through its midst.

**The Action-Packed Event we've **_**all**_** been waiting for!**

Close-up on wavy hair man's face, revealing his sleek white cowl.

He glanced upward, just in time to see the descending army of Duel Monsters.

His lips curled into a smirk, and without a word, he leapt toward them all.

**KAIBAMAN: Battle the Bond**

**IN 3D**

_Buy your ticket today and receive a free copy of Industrial Illusion's new Structure Deck: Rise of the Blue-Eyes!_

"I'm Kaibaman," the low, frustrated growl of Duel Academy's owner itself (Seto Kaiba) spat through the stadium, though Kaibaman was the one speaking, "and I approve this message."

The screen went black, and cheers erupted through the stadium. Far above the masses, within a small, confined room, Mindy and Jasmine smiled.

"Like, that was so totally awesome!" Mindy chirped into the microphone, announcing herself to the audience.

"I know right?" Jasmine agreed. "We'll definitely have to make sure that we reserve ours as soon as possible!"

"Hello viewers!" Mindy greeted again, turning to face the camera pushing toward her face. "We, Mindy and Jasmine, are your like, totally hot Announcer Girls!"

"Two days ago, no one could have expected that the outcome of the first Duel would be so… evenly matched!" Jasmine said, getting right to the point.

"That's for sure! I was totally betting on Alexis teaching that twin-tailed pig what's what, but Wisteria Fujiwara was just too good to go down without a fight!" Mindy nodded.

"In just a few moves, she'd completely turned things around, and while a victory was still far out of the question for her (after all there's no _way_ Alexis would lose to someone like that)" Jasmine coughed beneath her breath, "she still managed to sneak and steal her way to a Tie!"

"As a result, _everyone_ here's seeing these Duels in a new light! For once in their endless rivalry with Duel Academy, will North Academy come out on top?!" Mindy asked.

"Or will Duel Academy continue to hold onto the mysterious prize it takes each year?!" Jasmine concluded.

"Find out," they shouted together, "today, as we begin the Second Event of the Duel Academy/North Academy Inter-School Duel!"

The screens suddenly fizzled out, though two large cries could be heard through the speakers.

"Quiet down you two! You're bothering the _real_ announcers!"

* * *

**YU-GI-OH: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Six**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

Down with the representatives, Konami was rubbing his forehead in mild annoyance. While he admitted the Kaibaman trailer was a good touch (he himself was planning on seeing it if he ever got the chance), did Mindy and Jasmine _really_ need to ruin it all with their little… introductory speech? Not that it was all that bad, mind. It had actually been rather good, once you got past all the bias and preppy speech, Konami thought.

"Hmph! Well at least those dweebs got one thing right, there's no way Fujiwara could've beaten Alexis!" Chazz said, seated proudly in his own sideline chair.

"You mean you didn't believe in your own comrade?" Bastion asked, astonished. "Isn't that a little… counterproductive?"

"Don't be ridiculous, nerd!" Chazz snapped, kicking at a leg of Bastion's seat. "We may go to the same school, but the only one the Chazz is looking out for is himself, you got that?! Besides, last I checked Fujiwara didn't care for any of us anyway, so why should we care any for her?!"

"He has a point." Konami offered, speaking up on Chazz's behalf.

Bastion glanced at Konami in surprise, but said nothing further on the subject.

"Hah! See that? Even Red Hat's figured out that much! Looks like the only one who doesn't understand is you, nerd!"

"Man," Jaden said, feeling the need to change subjects. "I wonder how much longer it's gonna take for them to get this thing started! I mean, I'm really pumped up for my Duel with Chazz!"

"Jaden, mention a time when you _weren't_ pumped up for something." Konami drawled. "Really, one would think you'd have had enough excitement with all that Duel Giant business you took care of last night."

"Huh?! You mean you were there for that?!" Jaden blanched.

"Yep. The whooooooole time." Konami emphasized.

"Aw man! You gotta promise not to tell Crowler I let em go! Otherwise he'd _never_ let me hear the end of it, and he already assigned me extra homework as is!" Jaden said, panicking.

Bastion stared at the two inquisitively. "What's this? You say that Jaden was the one to defeat the Duel Giant? And here I thought you had dealt with Beauregard yourself Konami."

"Nah, it was someone else entirely. Didn't get a good look." Konami said, abiding by the promise Jaden had made not to turn the pair in.

Jaden shot a thankful glance over to the former Slifer, but Bastion missed it.

"Whatever. Who cares about some fat guy wearing clothes too small for him?" Chazz complained. "I'm ready for these Duels to start so everyone will finally know what's what once I beat Jaden!"

"Heh, speak for yourself Chazz!" Jaden grinned. "My heroes haven't failed me yet, and they're not about to start now!"

"_Ahem."_ Chancellor Sheppard coughed, drawing the attention of everyone in the stadium. "_First, allow me to thank our two… Obelisks, for that delightful recap of Monday morning's events. Of course, I must also take it upon myself to remind them that our North Academy friends are our guests, and deserve to be treated as such. No name calling, you two."_

From the audience Mindy and Jasmine had the decency to look ashamed, though Konami had the distinct feeling that Wisteria could have cared less.

"_Well, at any rate, now that the advertisements are all said and done with, allow us to proceed! We have here our remaining Representatives! Please, would the four of you stand?"_

Chazz snorted at the command, though he rose alongside the others as requested.

"_Excellent, excellent! I'm sure that you all will put on quite a show for us! But alas, there's so much to do and with so little time in a day, I'm afraid that once again, only one Duel shall be initiated during today's event. So, without a further ado…"_

The Chancellor gestured to the grinning Headmaster Foster, and with a snap of his fingers, the Duelist Roulette once more began to spin.

Round and round the choices went, never to stop, till their energy spent.

Finally, it paused.

"All right!" Jaden cheered, pumping his fist in excitement. "Guess that prayer before bed worked after all! I hope you're ready to get your game on, Chazz, because it looks like it's finally time for us to throw down!"

Chazz smirked at the words, agreeing with Jaden's enthusiasm. Finally, after a long wait, the time was finally upon him. He'd reclaim his spot above Jaden, and prove to the world, _and his brothers_, that he, Chazz "Manjoume Thunder" Princeton, belonged only at the Top!"

"HOLD IT!" a snide, elitist voice called from the top of the audience. "STOP EVERYTHING!"

"Wha-?!" Chazz scowled, glancing upward toward the person who _dared_ intrude upon his moment. His face quickly turned to one of shock and fear upon seeing just who had gotten involved. "Slade! Jagger! What are you doing?!"

"Hmph! We always knew you were small time Chazz, but playing second fiddle at a televised event like this puts you at a new low!"

"Slade is right!" Jagger agreed, straightening his tie on the well-spent purchase of a new suit. One he had bought just that morning. "You're a Princeton! And what's the family rule Chazz? Princetons must always, _always_, be the Main Event!"

Chancellor Sheppard coughed sheepishly, drawing the pair's, and everyone else's attention. "_Well now, it seems we have some… unexpected interference in today's events! Erm… may I help you two with something?"_

"Oh you can help us alright!" Slade said, holding up a suitcase filled with wads of cash. "We spent a lot of money on this broadcast, and we're not about to let it all go to waste by letting two no-name Duelists take the Main Event! We've been out of the spotlight too long I say! It's high time the Princetons made their demands!"

The audience began to mumble and gossip amongst themselves, leaving Chazz to bristle quietly in rage. What were his brothers doing?! Were they _trying_ to embarrass him?! No, they couldn't be! At least, not in public! So what were they trying to pull by making a spectacle right before his Duel with Jaden?!

"Sit down Chazz!" Jagger commanded. "You won't be dueling just yet!"

The Princeton snapped his fingers, and the roulette suddenly turned once more, changing the faces of Jaden and Chazz on the screen to those of Konami and Bastion.

"Wha-? What's the meaning of this?!" Bastion exclaimed in surprise.

"Tsk! So that's what they're planning!" Chazz growled, clenching his fist in frustration.

"The Princeton Family sponsored this event," Slade explained, "so it's up to _us_ to decide who duels when! And Chazz, you should know better than anyone that we always save the best for last!"

Konami felt rather insulted that Chazz's brothers didn't think he was better than their brother, but he managed to keep himself quiet. It wasn't like he had any proof to back up his claim after all. Well, other than the video of the few times they'd played Go Fish on the boat, but he still wasn't sure whether or not that counted. Besides, that video was probably miles beneath the artic by now, along with the rest of Chazz's capsized cruiser.

Sighing, Konami raised his Duel Disk and began to shuffle his cards.

"Wha-? Konami, what do you think you're doing?" Bastion asked, surprisingly at the same time Chazz did.

"What does it look like? It's my Turn, isn't it?" Konami asked, gestured nonchalantly toward the screen.

"You-! You know it's not!" Chazz snapped, taking a step forward as if preparing to grab Konami by the collar.

"Well, your brothers seem to think otherwise." Konami shrugged, his words only serving to make Chazz angrier. "Go sit and cool down for a while, the lightning will have its time to strike. The clouds just haven't rolled in yet."

"Oh the clouds have rolled in," Chazz muttered forebodingly, turning on his heel to march back toward his Representative Seat, "you just haven't seen em yet."

Jaden, for the first time in a long time, decided to speak.

"Aw man, and here I was hoping it'd finally be time for a rematch!" he complained, drooping his head upward sadly.

"Oh it's time for a rematch," Bastion told him, evidently realizing that Chazz's brothers had no intention of rescinding their choice, "it's just one that doesn't involve you!"

"_Erm… well, it seems everything's been sorted with our Representatives."_ Chancellor Sheppard said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head while he spoke. _"So, if they're fine with the situation, then I see no reason to complain! Ladies and Gentlemen, let's give our two Duelists a hand, shall we! I present to you, Ra Yellow's Bastion Misawa, and one of North Academy's Champions, Konami Kodo!"_

Both schools cheered loudly for their respective Representative, and the two Duelists quietly made their way to the center of the stadium.

It wasn't until they were both settled in on their own sides of the arena that they decided to speak.

"Well, this isn't how I imagined our rematch would begin, but I suppose in hindsight that sooner _is_ better than later!" Bastion said with a smirk.

"My sentiments exactly."Konami agreed. "I hope your Dueling skills haven't faltered while I was away, Bastion, because I'll let you know now, I'm not the same person you beat back before I left Duel Academy."

"I'd hope not. After all, I wouldn't want you to make this Duel too easy on me!" Bastion proclaimed, and the two activated their Duel Disks in sync.

"_Standing Duel!_" they spoke in sync as well. It seemed lots of people were good at doing that. "_Acceleration!"_

"Let's Burn It Up!" Konami added, finally stopping all the sync talk.

**DUEL**

**KONAMI KODO VS BASTION MISAWA**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

**BASTION – 4000 LP**

"Yeah, that's the way Konami! Go kick his ass!" Yuma shouted from the sidelines, the only person cheering for the North Academy student while sitting in Duel Academy's bleachers.

Bastion glanced at the girl in shock and betrayal. "But-! What on earth-! He's with _North Academy!_ Cheer for the friend who's at your school, fool!"

"No way!" Yuma complained, folding her arms and looking away. "I like him better." She mumbled as an afterthought.

"And with good reason!" Konami declared, checking his starting hand swiftly. "Not everyone likes cold, hard, logic! Sometimes, you just gotta let it rip, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do with this Turn! My Move, Draw!"

**TURN ONE – KONAMI**

"_This is a Representative Battle!"_ Konami thought to himself with a smirk. _"There's nothing more important!"_

"I told you I'm not the same as when I left, Bastion." Konami explained, reaching for a card in his hand. "But I'm not the only thing that's changed! It's time you got a first look at my new Deck, and what better way to introduce you than with this? The rock-hard _Goggle Golem_, in Attack Position!"

With a loud roar the muscular behemoth appeared, smashing its fists together with great strength while glaring at Bastion's form.

Goggle Golem – (EARTH/Rock/Gemini) – LV4 – (1500/500)

"A Rock Monster?" Bastion inquired. "I see. You've moved away from your beloved dragons, have you?"

"Maybe a little bit," Konami said, "but don't worry. This new Deck of mine more than makes up for it! I'll set one card face-down, and call it a Turn!"

"My Turn then." Bastion said, his eyes taking on a determined glint. "Draw!"

**TURN TWO – BASTION**

"Like you, I too have changed Decks for this occasion!" Bastion proclaimed, smirking as he spoke with his rival. "Behold, the archetype that will bring about my ultimate victory, the Six Samurai! I summon Zanji, in Attack Position!"

The crowd whispered in amazement as an ancient warrior garbed in golden armor appeared, wielding what appeared to be a mighty Naginata. The samurai swept it about twice while growing accustomed to its new surroundings, before turning to face the Goggle Golem proudly.

The Six Samurai Zanji – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV4 – (1800/1300)

"The Six Samurai?" Konami repeated, staring at the warrior in surprise. "Those are pretty rare cards, Bastion."

"Indeed. You wouldn't believe the time I put into gathering them all. But now that I have, it'll be far too easy for me to make short work of you, _and _your musclebound Goggle Golem! Go, Zanji! Attack that Rock creature with your _Cleansing Strike_!"

Zanji nodded an affirmative as it leapt forward, closing the distance between their monsters in an instant while raising its weapon to deliver the blow. Goggle Golem cried out as Zanji finally attacked, its body going still for a brief moment before shattering into scattering gold particles. Konami grit his teeth, shielding his eyes as the particles passed by him, lowering his Life Points.

**KONAMI – 3700 LP**

**BASTION – 4000 LP**

"Tsk! You may have beat him once, but my Goggle Golem won't stay down so easily!" Konami retorted. "Especially when I have a Trap Card like this, _Call of the Haunted!_"

Bastion clucked his tongue thoughtfully. "You're using a card like that already?"

"That's right, and you know what that means!" Konami said, throwing his hand to the sky as a smoking silhouette appeared before him. "My Goggle Golem gets to come back for an encore!"

Goggle Golem harrumphed as it reappeared on the Field, and once again smashed its fists together to rouse the crowd. Instead of glaring at Bastion however, it turned its gaze toward the monster that had defeated it in the first place; Zanji.

Goggle Golem – (EARTH/Rock/Gemini) – LV4 – (1500/500)

"You can bring that monster back all you like!" Bastion said after a moment. "It won't matter so long as his Attack Points are lower than my monsters! I'll Set a card and End my Turn."

"Heh. You're right about that," Konami said, making to draw his next card, "but the thing is, Bastion, Goggle Golem won't be the one with the lower Attack for long! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THREE – KONAMI**

"What do you mean by that?" Bastion inquired. "Is there something about that monster that you're not telling me?"

"Yeah, and you're about to find out what it is!" Konami grinned. "Goggle Golem, _Gemini Summon!_"

The hulking behemoth's eyes flashed at the words, and around him, a shining light began to erupt from the floor. Goggle Golem let out a rousing cry as its muscles began to bolster and strengthen, leaving Bastion, and much of the audience, to wonder just what was happening.

"Gemini Summon?!" Bastion repeated, taking a step back to withstand the sudden pressure filling the room. "What's that?!"

"See, Goggle Golem here isn't like other monsters!" Konami explained. "While it's true he only has 1500 Attack Points, that's only because he hasn't had a chance to show off his true power! That's where the Gemini Summon comes in! It's a special ability he has that can only be activated by summoning him again while he's already face-up on the Field! In this case… Goggle Golem's muscle and overall power increases, raising his original Attack Points from a mere 1500… to _2100_ instead!"

"W-What?!"

Goggle Golem roared out powerfully as the Gemini Summon was completed, filling him with a new burst of power he'd buried deep within. As the surrounding light dimmed down, only he remained, his body glowing with an ethereal red aura that screamed danger.

Goggle Golem – (EARTH/Rock/Gemini) – LV4 – (2100/500)

"Now, Goggle Golem! It's time to get back at that washed-up samurai!" Konami shouted, much to the monster's delight. "Attack Zanji of the Six Samurai directly, with your _Go-Goggle Punch!_"

The raging behemoth roared at the words, charging across the stadium to smash its fist into Zanji's face. The samurai cursed at the power of the blow, his Naginata falling from his hands as he was sent flying into the sky, only to disperse into particles and shatter before hitting the ground. Bastion hissed, feeling the unmistakable sensation of damage running through his Duel Disk.

**KONAMI – 3700 LP**

**BASTION – 3700 LP**

"Ngh! Well, you may have destroyed one of my Six Samurai, but don't think I'll let you get away without returning the favor!" Bastion declared. "By destroying Zanji, you've activated my Trap Card! _Michizure_!"

The face-down Bastion had suddenly lifted itself up, revealing the artwork of a terrible demise.

"Only capable of being activated when a monster on my side of the Field is destroyed, Michizure allows me to take revenge by destroying another monster on the Field as well!" Bastion explained, gesturing toward Konami's empowered Goggle Golem. "Since that Gemini Monster of yours is the only one left… I'm sure you know what that means!"

"Tsk!" Konami cursed, realizing it full well.

Just as Bastion finished his statement, the earth around Goggle Golem gave way, revealing the disfigured, angry form of the destroyed Zanji. The murdered samurai grasped the Golem by the ankle, and slowly, Konami's monster was dragged down into the abyss, taking Call of the Haunted along with it.

The ground sealed itself once Goggle Golem had vanished into the abyss, leaving both Fields empty once more.

"Che… not bad, genius." Konami muttered thoughtfully, glancing at his hand.

"_Hmm… it seems our two competitors are evenly matched!"_ Chancellor Sheppard's voice broke through their Duel. _"Could it be possible that we may be looking at another tie?"_

"Not if I can help it." Bastion muttered. "It's my Turn now! Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – BASTION**

"It's true you may have defeated Zanji, Konami, but they're called the _Six_ Samurai for a reason, and that means that when one falls, another is ready to take its place! Come forth now, _Kamon_ – of the Six Samurai!"

In a pillar of flame yet another samurai appeared, garbed in orange wear that looked suspiciously akin to a stick of dynamite. The samurai knelt down humbly upon being summoned, and began tinkering with something in its hands.

The Six Samurai Kamon – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV3 – (1500/1000)

"And since you're defenseless… well, you're a smart guy Konami, I'm sure you can figure it out!" Bastion declared.

Indeed, Konami knew what was about to happen. His Field was empty, and with a monster under Bastion's control, a Direct Attack was inevitable. Konami braced himself, preparing for the inevitable assault that would occur.

"Go, Kamon! Direct Attack!"

The Samurai's eyes flashed, and a small fuse was suddenly lit between his palms. In a slow, almost horrid manner, the man tossed a stick of dynamite across the stadium, allowing it to skitter and roll before landing at Konami's feet.

The boy's eyes went wide.

_Boom_

A burning cloud of smoke and dust erupted from the small object, encompassing Konami's entire being in its person. The audience gasped and whispered at the chaos, and among them all, a lone cry was heard.

"Ah! _Bastion!_ You killed him! You killed Konami!"

Bastion shook his head in bemusement. Of course Yuma would say such things, but it was a Duel! Besides, it wasn't as if any of the damage was actually real… though Bastion did think it suspicious that every Duelist always acted like they took the damage themselves when attacked…

His thoughts trailed as the smoke cleared, and Konami was revealed safe and sound in its epicenter, coughing softly while glaring at his temporary foe.

**KONAMI – 2200 LP**

**BASTION – 3700 LP**

"Damn it Bastion…" Konami muttered softly, dusting off his uniform. "That was rough."

"_Oooh! It seems I spoke too soon! After enduring a devastating attack from our very own Bastion Misawa, it seems like Konami's in a tight spot! Is this the end of North Academy's Duelist? Stay tuned to find out, next time, on Duel Monsters! The Rise of DA-! Ack!"_

"_That's enough of that."_ Headmaster Foster said, interrupting Chancellor Sheppard's commentary. _"Konami isn't out of this fight yet, are you boy? Get back out there and show them all what you've learned at North Academy! Burn it into their minds… the power of the coldest school in the world!"_

"Nice commentary." Bastion mused, staring at Konami with a dry look. "Is he like this all the time?"

"You have no idea." Konami sighed, returning the same stare.

After a moment, the two laughed.

"Well, Chancellor Sheppard is right about one thing, friend." Bastion smirked. "You're in a tight spot. Don't tell me that you don't have a trick up your sleeve?"

"Oh I do. I won't go down without a fight, Bastion. You don't have to worry about that." Konami replied.

"Well then, I suppose I should keep taking this seriously. I'll set a card face-down, and end my Turn!"

"Time for a comeback then! My move, Draw!" Konami shouted, grabbing his next card.

**TURN FIVE – KONAMI**

"_The power of the coldest school in the world huh?"_ Konami thought dryly, glancing at his hand. _"Well, I don't know about all that. But if Bastion's going to use Samurai… then it's about time I started using my Knights!"_

"Let's do it, Bastion!" Konami shouted, grabbing a card from his hand. "I'll set a card face-down, but now it's time for the East to meet the West, and to do that, I'll summon one of my _own_ new archetypes! I activate the Combination Magic – _Gem-Knight Fusion!_"

"Fusion?!" Jaden shouted, his eyes sparkling from the sidelines as he heard Konami speak. Chazz snorted, having known all about Konami's Gem-Knight cards. He glared at Jaden to shut up.

Konami slid the card into his Duel Disk, and a hologram of the same card appeared before him on the Field.

"Gem-Knight what?" Bastion asked, staring wide-eyed at the card.

"Don't think you're the only one with a bunch of new cards, Bastion." Konami smiled. "Where you have Samurai, I have Knights, and it's high time we found out which is better suited to stand on top! Gem-Knight Fusion allows me to send monsters from my hand or side of the Field to the Graveyard, and then Special Summon a "Gem-Knight" Monster from the Extra Deck that uses them as Fusion Material!"

"But what in the world is a Gem-Knight?!" Bastion asked furiously.

"You're about to find out, because I'm combining the power of Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Flame Ruler to bring out…" Konami paused, sending the two monsters to the Graveyard as a pillar of flame began to swirl about the Field, "this! The fire-loving _Gem-Knight Citrine!_"

The pillar of flame bulged and pulsed, and suddenly, a red-hot blade cut through its being, obliterating the stray flames to reveal a brown knight with molten hot hands and a billowing blue cape.

Gem-Knight Citrine – (FIRE/Pyro/Fusion) – LV7 – (2200/1950)

"Citrine?!" Bastion thought aloud, staring at the hulking knight. "Like the mineral Quartz?!" he narrowed his eyes, taking in the monster's appearance. "I see… so this is a Gem-Knight."

"Yeah, and if you didn't notice, his Attack Points are higher than your Kamon!" Konami shouted.

"Perhaps, but aren't you worried about my face-down?" Bastion questioned.

"Heh." Konami shook his head. "Not at all, because thanks to Citrine's effect, you won't be able to activate that, or any other effects until after the Damage Step!"

"What?!" Bastion exclaimed, taking a step back.

"Your bluff fell through Bastion!" Konami shouted, thrusting his hand forward. "Go Citrine! Show that Dynamite-head how hot things can _really_ get! _Citrine Slash!_"

The Knight said nothing, though his actions made up for his lack of words. Swinging his blade in a large, vertical arc, Gem-Knight Citrine created a raging torrent of flames that slammed down upon the "explosive" Samurai, scorching him to ash. Bastion too, felt the waves of heat, and he was forced to take several more steps back lest he too, be burned.

**KONAMI – 2200 LP**

**BASTION – 3000 LP**

"Yeah! That's the way Konami! Kick his ass!"

"Once again, I find myself appalled that she's cheering for you." Bastion deadpanned.

"Don't tell me you're jealous?" Konami replied.

Bastion shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "On the contrary, I'm quite satisfied. It'll just make it all the sweeter when I win this Duel!"

"Oh? You seem pretty confident for a guy with no monsters." Konami mused.

"Perhaps. But the thing is, Konami, I'm about to have one that even your Gem-Knight Citrine can't handle! But you won't believe just words, will you? No, I'll have to prove it to you with my actions, starting now! My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN SIX – BASTION**

"I'll start by activating my face-down, the Trap Card _Double-Edged Sword Technique_!" Bastion roared, flipping his back row face-up.

"Wha-? Heh, so it was a bluff earlier!" Konami smirked.

"Indeed. But Double-Edged Sword Technique's effect is no laughing matter! And now that I have two of the Six Samurai in my Graveyard, I can use its effect to my full benefit!"

Konami narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Effect?"

"That's right!" Bastion explained. "You see Konami, when Double-Edged Sword Technique is activated, I can Special Summon two "Six Samurai" Monsters from my Graveyard in Attack Position, so long as I agree to destroy them during the End Phase of this turn, and take damage equal to their combined Attack Points! The two monsters I'm choosing, or rather, the only two I _can_ choose, are the same two you destroyed during this Duel!" Bastion swept his hand to the sky eagerly, and two symbols representing each monster appeared on the floor before him. "Be revived now, Zanji, Kamon! Return to the earth to serve your Shogun!"

The symbols shone brightly, and in a flash the two warriors had returned alive, garbed in their spectacular gear once more.

The Six Samurai Zanji – (LIGHT/Warrior) – LV4 – (1800/1300)

The Six Samurai Kamon – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV3 – (1500/1000)

"1800 and 1500…" Konami whispered softly, recalling their attack. Suddenly, something clicked. "But Bastion, neither of those monsters have the Attack Power to defeat my Gem-Knight Citrine, and if you take damage equal to their sum at the end of this Turn… that's 3300 Life Points worth of damage! More than you can spare! You're costing yourself the Duel!"

Bastion chuckled. "Yes. I suppose it does seem that way doesn't it? But rest assured Konami, I know what I'm doing, because I activate… this card! The Summoning Spell _Six Scrolls of the Samurai!_"

A picture of six differently colored scrolls suddenly appeared on the Field, leaving Konami and the members of the audience to stare at it strangely.

"Six Scrolls… of the Samurai?" Konami asked slowly, glancing at the card with unease. "What's it do?"

Bastion chuckled to himself, folding his arms before making with a response. "I was just about to get to that! As I said earlier, the Six Scrolls of the Samurai is a Summoning Spell, one that can only be activated by Tributing two face-up "Six Samurai" monsters I control! And, thanks to my Double-Edged Sword Technique, both Zanji and Kamon of the Six Samurai are on my side of the Field!"

"Ah, but then that means-!" Konami gasped, understanding.

"-that I can now Tribute them both to activate this card's effect!" Bastion finished. "And the best part of it is, that since I'm removing them from the Field _without_ destroying them through the Sword Technique's effect, I won't take any damage at the end of my Turn! Though, the same won't hold true for you!"

"What-?"

"Fifty Years! A Man's Lifetime! Yet Compared to the Span of Heaven, it is but a Dream! Given Life! Promised Death! The Devil King Rises as the Sun Now Sets! Come forth, _Great Shogun Shien!_"

Several scrolls wrapped around the two members of the Six Samurai during Bastion's chant, replacing them both with a single form. Slowly, the scrolls faded, revealing a sinister warrior cloaked in red. The aura of a demon burned brightly behind him.

Great Shogun Shien – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV7 – (2500/2400)

"A FIRE Attribute Monster?" Konami asked after a moment.

"That's right, just like your Citrine!" Bastion said with a smirk. "Of course, Shien has the advantage when it comes to Attack Points, which he's about to point out right now! Go, Great Shogun! Show that knight the strength of a samurai's flames! Attack Gem-Knight Citrine with your _Demon Blade_!"

Shien's eyes gleamed at the command, and slowly, he raised his cursed blade high above his head. Moments passed, and slowly, he let the sword fall, cutting through time and space itself to deliver a crippling blow to Konami's red-hot knight.

Citrine cried out in pain as its armor and body was suddenly cut in two, and molten hot lava poured from the wound onto the floor below. It remained that way for several seconds, before vanishing in a shattering light.

**KONAMI – 1900 LP**

**BASTION – 3000 LP**

"Hmph. Looks like the Samurai were more than a match after all!" Bastion decided, folding his arms as he watched the smoke fade.

Konami grumbled at the Ra's words, having realized that if things stayed as they were, there was no way he was going to win.

"Don't get cocky, Bastion!" he shouted. "You only beat one of my Gem-Knights, meanwhile your Six Samurai have two of their members in the Grave!"

"True," Bastion agreed, "but tell me, which of us has higher Life Points?"

Konami grumbled further at that.

Bastion continued to chuckle at the scene, before deciding that it was time to move things along. "I'll set a card face-down and end my Turn!" he said, eyeing the Field closely. "Let's see what you've got."

"With pleasure! My move, Draw!" Konami roared.

**TURN SEVEN – KONAMI**

"First things first, I'll activate the Resurrection Magic – _Monster Reborn!_" Konami shouted, revealing the familiar ankh in his Hand. "It allows me to bring back one monster from the Graveyard, and the one I'm choosing is none other than the lord of the pyre himself, the _Flame Ruler!_"

Similar to Citrine's earlier summon, a pillar of flames leapt from the ground at Konami's words, though a red-hot blade was not needed to slash through their midst. Instead, they faded through will alone, dimming to a mere circle of flame that surrounded the blue-haired master of fire.

Flame Ruler – (FIRE/Pyro) – LV4 – (1500/1600)

"Next, I think I'll activate the effect of my Gem-Knight Fusion in the Graveyard-!"

"Not so fast, Konami!" Bastion interrupted. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

"What?! Why not?" Konami asked, his eyes wide at Bastion's interruption.

"Because, thanks to my Great Shogun Shien's effect, you can only activate one Spell or Trap Card per turn! And since you just used Monster Reborn to revive your Flame Ruler, well… I'm sure you can figure out where I'm going with this." Bastion explained.

"Ah! You mean, I can't use anymore Spells or Traps this turn?! That's not fair!" Konami cursed.

Bastion smirked. "Fair or not, those are the rules."

Konami steeled himself. He couldn't use anymore Backrow cards that Turn? Fine. That didn't mean he'd sit around and let Bastion get smug about it!

"Fine then, I'll just have to work around it! Luckily for me, I already have everything I need for that Flame Ruler!"

"What?" Bastion questioned, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about? You just heard me tell you that you can't use anymore Spell or Trap cards this Turn!"

"Yeah, yeah… but I'm not about to use a Spell or Trap! Instead, I'm using the Flame Ruler's very _own_ effect!" Konami retorted with a smirk of his own. "It's been a while since you've seen it, so allow me to remind you just what it does! See, Flame Ruler isn't just any ol' FIRE monster. Due to his effect, when I use him as a Tribute, he actually counts as two, as long as the monster I'm Tribute Summoning is of the FIRE Attribute as well!"

"What?! How did I not account for something like that?!" Bastion shouted.

"You may have your Samurai Bastion, but Knights will always have something that they don't!" Konami grinned, reaching for the card in his hand.

"Oh really? And what's that?!"

"A long and bloody history of hunting dragons!" Konami roared, and he slammed his ace card down upon his Duel Disk.

The Flame Ruler roared in pain as his own flames burned away at his body, leaving it naught but ash as a far larger creature took to the Field. Slowly, thick, bulky skin appeared, steam rising from each pore to prove that it was still hot at the touch. A pair of large, hulking wings flapped about idly, and as the beast raised its long, slender neck, a loud, terrible screech shook the stadium.

"Last time he didn't get to say everything he wanted," Konami explained to the surprised, yet calculating Bastion, "so this time, I'll be sure to give you the full effect of my Ace Monster – _Tyrant Dragon!_"

The Dragon roared once more as its name was declared, and the pillars of flames cleared, revealing its full form.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2500)

"That monster again… I thought it'd learnt its lesson when it went up against my Water Dragon!" Bastion said, shaking his head in thought. "Well, no matter. I'll deal with it again soon enough."

"Heh, good luck with that, because if you haven't noticed, my Tyrant Dragon has more Attack Points than your Great Shogun Shien! I think it's high time we sent that knockoff packing! There's only enough room for _one_ Tyrant around here!"

Tyrant Dragon roared in agreement, smashing its claws down upon the earth in preparation for the inevitable command.

"Go, Tyrant Dragon! Give that Shogun the full taste of your _Tyrant Tidal Flame_!"

The Dragon leapt forward, and Bastion made to act.

"Not this time! I have a Trap Card! _Mirror Force!_"

"What?!" Konami exclaimed, reeling backward as an invisible barrier suddenly barred his dragon's path.

"You shouldn't be so eager to attack, Konami! Now, see what happens when you rush in mindlessly!" Bastion shouted, sweeping his hand forward dramatically. "Go, Mirror Force! _Mirror Repulse!_"

The barrier suddenly expanded outward at Bastion's command, and Tyrant Dragon squealed, yes, _squealed_ in pain upon impact. Its body fell back toward Konami, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh. _Yeah._" Bastion whispered to himself, thinking he was the baddest thing ever.

Tyrant Dragon shattered.

"No way… Tyrant Dragon…!" Konami breathed.

"Seems like your "trump" card chumped out!" Bastion said. "With your Field like it is, this Duel is mine, Konami!"

Red Hat said nothing to that, bowing his head to hide his eyes.

"…I… end my Turn." he whispered quietly.

Bastion. He was amazing. Always a step ahead, always planning for the opponent's counterattack. Konami hid a smile beneath his visage. Indeed, the Ra Yellow was one of the few, true Geniuses in the school.

It deserved praise, he thought.

But…

"It's my move, Konami! I'll end it now!" Bastion shouted.

**TURN EIGHT – BASTION**

"Great Shogun Shien, Attack Konami Kodo Directly!"

"_Uh oh! Looks like this could be it folks! Duel Academy's first official win of the Event!"_ Chancellor Sheppard shouted eagerly.

"Gotcha!" Konami roared, throwing his hand forward swiftly at the last second. "I can only activate one Trap per turn, and this is that Trap! I activate my face-down, from the Deck of Duel Academy's very own Jaden Yuki! I give it to you now, behold, _A Hero Emerges!_"

"Hey! I have that card!" Jaden shouted from the sidelines, waving around his own copy.

"Allow me to explain!" Konami said swiftly, effectively cutting off any demonstrations Jaden himself was about to give. "A Hero Emerges is a card that can only be activated when my opponent declares an attack! When they do, they get to choose one random card from my Hand, and if it's a monster, I get to Special Summon it to the Field!"

"And what if it's not?" Bastion asked.

"Well, in that case, joke's on me." Konami smirked. "If the card you choose is a Spell or a Trap, then it's shipped right off to the Graveyard, never to be seen again!"

"_Of course, I don't have to worry about that!"_ Konami thought. _"There's only one card in my Hand right now, and it's exactly what I need to turn this situation around!"_

"Hmph. Well, let's get to it then!" Bastion decided. "There's only one card to choose, so it must be a monster! Very well… I'll bite! Let's see just what it is you hold in that hand of yours!"

"With pleasure." Konami replied, raising his hand to the sky. "I summon… _Decoy Dragon_, in Attack Position!"

In a small wisp of flame, a small, adorable green dragon materialized on the Field, earning the awe and sympathy of the fluff-loving members of the crowd.

Decoy Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV2 – (300/200)

"Wha-?! What is this?! Some kind of joke?" Bastion asked, taking a step back at the sheer audacity of the creature before him.

"Nope. Not at all." Konami said. "Like you said, it's the only card I had in my hand, and the only thing capable of saving me from that Great Shogun of yours!"

"Tsk! Hate to break it to you Konami, but even with that monster on your Field your Life Points are finished! You only have 1900 left, remember? And my Great Shogun Shien has _2500_ Attack Points! Stacked against your Decoy Dragon's measly 300, that's more than enough firepower to bring you down to Zero!"

Konami grimaced.

"It seems you understand." Bastion smirked. "But, I will admit that this Duel was by far one of the best I've had. I'll put you down easy! Right now, with this attack! Go Great Shogun! Attack that adorable dragon!"

The Great Shogun's eyes flashed red at the command, and it stalked toward Decoy Dragon dangerously. The small creature's beady eyes widened in fear as Shien finally cornered it, and the warrior poised his blade for a killing strike.

Konami couldn't take it anymore. He laughed.

It was a soft, unmistakable sound, but one that brought everything in the Stadium to a grinding halt.

The members of the audience began to scowl. Why was he laughing? Didn't he understand that he was about to lose? Did he just not care, or was he actually finding _amusement_ in watching his weak monster be slain?

Their answers would all be answered with a single line.

"You fell for it."

Bastion's eyes went wide as Decoy Dragon suddenly smirked, and it clamped down on Shien's weapon hand, effectively trapping him.

"Wha-?!" Bastion exclaimed, crying out in surprise as a pillar of fire began to circle around the arena.

"By attacking, you've activated my Decoy Dragon's effect!" Konami explained, curling his hand into a fist. "When he's selected as an attack target by one of your monsters, I can choose one Level 7 or higher _Dragon_-Type Monster in my Graveyard, and Special Summon it back to the Field! But that's not the best part of his little effect here, oh no." Konami smirked. "What's really the kicker is… once the monster I choose is up and about… the attack target is switched from my Decoy Dragon to the new Dragon instead!"

"Oh no!" Bastion cried out, understanding what that meant.

"I only have one dragon in my Graveyard who meets that criteria…" Konami said, the flames growing higher and higher around them as he spoke. "…and he's just _dying_ to pay you back for that Mirror Force earlier! So come on out, Decoy Dragon is the sacrifice! Unleash your rage of a _thousand_ Suns… Tyrant Dragon! _This is the End!_"

With an outraged roar, the flaming beast of destruction awakened once more, flapping its wings wildly much to the cheer of the North Academy supporters. Decoy Dragon swiftly vanished inside the beast's soul, its life more than enough to sate the coming giant.

Tyrant Dragon – (FIRE/Dragon) – LV8 – (2900/2500)

"No… this can't be! My calculations…!"

"I thought I told you the first time that such things don't matter in a Duel!" Konami shouted. "I guess you forgot during my absence, but don't worry, I'll be sure to remind you now! Go, Tyrant Dragon! Burn the world away with your _Tyrant Tidal Flame!_"

Tyrant Dragon did not hesitate.

In a single breath Bastion's Field was set aflame, and the Great Shogun Shien, knew no more.

**KONAMI – 1900 LP**

**BASTION – 2600 LP**

Scowling, Bastion glanced at his hand. He had nothing! All the cards he carried were meant to be used with Shien or his Samurai, but since he didn't have any on the Field…!

"Nothing to say? Guess it's my move then!" Konami said, drawing a card to begin his Final Turn.

**TURN NINE – KONAMI**

"It's time we finished this! Because now I can finish you off with a Direct Attack of my own! Go, Tyrant Dragon! Attack Bastion Directly!"

The dragon roared victoriously as it launched forward, and Bastion barely had the time to scream before the monster's jaws enveloped him whole.

**KONAMI – 1900 LP**

**BASTION – 0 LP**

**DUEL CONCLUDED**

**VICTOR: KONAMI KODO**

The stadium was silent.

No one could believe the stunning development that had occurred. The amazing comeback in the bottom of the ninth, the impossible odds!

Yet Konami Kodo, the one Duel Academy had doubted, berated, and scorned for so long, had done it.

For the first time ever, North Academy was on the scoreboard.

_And they were winning._

The applause was… _was_ staggering.

Sure, it had only come from those of North Academy, but still. The sheer degree of happiness and excitement that had permeated the atmosphere was… well.

Konami staggered back, the holograms of the Duel fading away into the ether.

"…I did it." he muttered to himself quietly, gazing toward the ceiling.

"He did it." Yuma agreed quietly from the sidelines. "And he used my card to do so… nice."

Bastion rose from the floor quietly, exchanging a stern glance with the boy. They held on to it for a moment longer, before once more, the two broke out into a fit of laughter.

"It's my loss." Bastion declared, crossing the space between them to shake Konami's hand. "It seems that even now, there is still much I have to learn. It was your total victory, Konami."

"Well I wouldn't say that." Konami replied. "I thought you had me a few times there Bastion. I guess I just had more spirits on my side."

The ghostly apparitions of Decoy Dragon and Yata-Garasu agreed behind Konami, but he did not see them.

"Well, regardless the reason, North Academy is now in the lead. From here on, it's up to Chazz and Jaden." Bastion decided with a sigh. "It should be rather interesting… seeing those two go at it once more."

"You're forgetting that I never saw them Duel the first time." Konami deadpanned.

"Well there you have it folks!" Mindy chirped from the announcement room yet again. "Our, like, totally average-looking friend won it all!"

Jasmine, ever the sidekick, agreed. "Yeah. I was a bit surprised when he threw out that adorable dragon, but I guess even puppies know how to bite! I certainly won't be looking to Duel _him_ anytime soon, but from the looks of it, the rest of the Obelisks don't share the sentiment."

Konami was caught by surprise at Jasmine's declaration, and as he turned to look, he found that she was, in fact, correct. There were hungry looks in their eyes, reminiscent of those desiring a strong opponent. Konami recalled seeing Jaden being given some of the same looks, earlier on in the year.

As Chancellor Sheppard began to approach for the Closing Speech, Konami smiled. At least he'd come out on top.

Knights and Dragons: One.

Samurai? Zero.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

* * *

**END**


	28. Attempt Number Two X The Hero is Who?

"Everyone needs an introduction, and this is mine!"

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Seven**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

Konami and Bastion soon left the stadium alongside their fellow representatives, entering the side room built specifically for their use. The crowd's cheers followed them through, and it wasn't until the large steel doors shut behind them that silence was within their grasp.

A shame an unexpected visitor was able to ruin it.

"Great job on your Duel, Konami, Bastion!" Yuma said _far_ too cheerfully, wrapping her arms around both boy's necks as they entered. "You had me sitting on the edge of my seat from start to finish!"

"Glad to know we were able to serve as your amusement." Bastion said dryly, easily removing the girl's limb from his person.

"Aw, what's with the face? Don't tell me your still upset that you lost?" Yuma pouted, removing herself from Konami as well to study the blank-faced Ra.

"Wha-? Of course not! Our Duel was spectacular, and the victory went to the better Duelist among us! That it was Konami this time is of no importance! It just means that I'll have to train harder for our next encounter!" Bastion snapped suddenly, pulling out a notebook from the folds of his jacket.

"Speaking of your Duel," Jaden said, feeling the need to leap into the conversation, "what was with that Fusion Monster you summoned Konami? It looked pretty sweet by the looks of it! What was it called again…? A… Gem-Knight?"

"Yeah. They're a one-of-a-kind archetype I came across back at North Academy." Konami explained, setting a hand atop the holster where the cards lay. "I'll admit they can be a bit tricky to use, but if you have the right cards, busting out the right monster for a sticky situation is child's play."

Jaden grinned at the explanation, and he raised a finger to rub the bridge of his nose. "Heh, sounds cool! I wonder how they'd stack up against my Elemental Heroes...!"

"Who cares?!" Chazz grumbled, insulted at the fact that once again, Konami was the one in the spotlight. "You should be focused on your upcoming Duel with _me_, Slacker! Heh, you may have gotten off easy today thanks to my brothers, but now that I think about it, they're right! The best _are_ saved for last, and when Chazz Princeton finally takes to the stage, it doesn't matter which one of your little heroes you throw down! They'll all be dust in the wind once I summon _my_ monsters!"

"Oh yeah?" Jaden asked curiously. "What kind of monsters are you using then?"

Chazz's eye twitched in disbelief, and he shook a fist angrily at the naïve Slifer. "Are you joking?! Like I'd tell you before our Duel!"

With a sweep of his coat, Chazz turned and stalked off into the halls of the Academy, leaving the gathered representatives, and Yuma, behind.

"Well, looks like his superiority complex has _Levelled Up_, if you know what I mean." Yuma said, nudging Konami softly in the ribs. "Eh? _Eh?_"

"If I wasn't wondering how you managed to make that pun in the first place, I might have actually laughed." Konami replied.

As Jaden and Bastion began talking about whatever nonsense, Konami turned away from Yuma, noticing the subdued forms of Mindy and Jasmine as they trailed behind Alexis through the halls. It seemed that through their commentary, as unwelcome as it had been, they were able to overcome whatever problems they'd run into with Alexis.

Curious, but none of his business.

"So," Yuma said suddenly, stealing his attention away from the Obelisk Trio, "what's next for Konami Kodo? Take over Kaibacorp? Buy Industrial Illusions? After everything you've done so far, it's bound to be something big right? Maybe you're planning a heist to steal a few rare cards?"

"Nothing so… elaborate, I'm afraid." A soft, feminine voice drawled from the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt, but Headmaster Foster requests our dear "King's" presence, _just_ like Chancellor Sheppard asked for yours." Wisteria added, staring dryly toward Bastion and Jaden.

"Huh, really? What's the Chancellor want with little old me?" Jaden asked curiously, earning an annoyed huff from the girl.

"As if I'd know something like that!" she spat, folding her arms impatiently. She noted the proximity between Yuma and Konami, and raised an eyebrow in surprised, and curious bemusement. "And you are?"

"I'm Yuma, friend to the legendary "Red Hat", and **devourer of children.** Pleased to meet you, QB of the Universe!"

"Isn't it Quarterback of the _Century_?" Wisteria asked, misinterpreting Yuma's words. "Never mind. While I do find your demeanor… strangely off-putting, you are an Obelisk, so you can't be a complete waste of space." She turned to Konami at that, and wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "It seems there may be hope for you yet. Nonetheless, the Headmaster awaits, so I'd appreciate it if you'd hurry the hell up."

Konami rubbed his forehead in annoyance as Yuma snickered behind him. Evidently it was going to be a long day.

"You realize you only just told me this, right?" he asked as he made to leave the room beside her, leaving the three "official" Duel Academy students behind.

"And?" Wisteria asked, trailing behind him as per NA's Rules, but only just. "Surely even you understand the importance of punctuality? If you're going to take being the King of North Academy seriously, then you had better well act like it. For that matter, shouldn't you take better care in who you are seen… _associating_ with?"

Konami rolled his eyes, preparing himself for another session of _Wisteria Rants._

"Even if they insist on us spending times with the Duel Academy lowlifes, Chazz and I both realize the importance in maintaining our distance! _You_ on the other hand, continue to muck about in the mud with those… those…!"

"Worms?" Konami offered.

"Yes!" Wisteria agreed. "And speaking of worms, just what _was_ that all about earlier? That Obelisk Blue girl who was clinging to you-"

"Yuma." Konami understood. "I'm not entirely sure myself. She wasn't quite this… "bubbly", before I left for North Academy. In fact, she was pretty distant. Makes me wonder what changed."

"Hmph. Of course you wouldn't understand the mind of a woman." Wisteria decreed, setting a hand just above her chest. "Though if you claim that this isn't how she usually acts, then I suppose it just must be _that time of the month_."

"Excuse me?" Konami asked, raising a brow curiously at Wisteria's words. "_That time of the month?_ What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh dear "King"," Wisteria said mockingly, "it has _everything_ to do with it. It is not strange, you know. For women to act rather brashly during that time. Why, I too was affected, during the night you intruded upon my tower. The things I'd endured just prior to your arrival. The crimson red fluid flowing from my-"

"_-And_ now that you managed to succeed in killing half my brain cells, here we are." Konami interrupted, standing before the North Academy Submarine. "What's Headmaster Foster want with me anyway? And why _did_ you follow me all this way?"

"Hmph. Again, you speak before you think, "King."" Wisteria scowled. "The Headmaster didn't just call for you. He's summoned all three members of the Divine Trinity, as did Chancellor Sheppard do for his own representatives. You didn't think I'd stick around with you for my own amusement did you? How ridiculous."

"Well excuse me for being curious." Konami drawled, entering the submarine to find the man.

"_-and don't you worry, because when he and I Duel, __**I'll**__ be the one coming out on top!"_ Chazz's voice echoed through the metal halls of the vehicle, surprising both Konami and his unwanted tagalong.

"Chazz? So he's already here then." Konami thought aloud, following the voice to its source.

"Glad to hear it," Headmaster Foster's response came loud and clear, "but, it seems we'll have to cut the rest of this conversation short. Your fellow representatives have arrived! Please, enter!"

Konami and Wisteria looked at each other in surprise before doing as requested, and after a moment, they were all gathered in the Headmaster's tiny office, or as he liked to call it… the _Supreme Headquarters Of Triumph_!

SHOT for short.

"You… knew we were here?" Konami felt himself asking, earning a chuckle from Foster's lips.

"Of course. There are cameras inside, after all." The man explained, swiveling one of his computer screens to show the surveillance cams.

"Hmph! So you _were_ watching us sleep!" Chazz snorted. "I'd thought as much, back during the trip! Having a laugh at how Czar kept knocking up against me, I bet!"

"Now, now, no need to get so worked up, Chazz." Headmaster Foster smirked. "There'll be plenty of time for that during your homework assignment!"

"Homework Assignment?!" Wisteria blanched. "I'm sorry Headmaster, but you don't _honestly_ expect us to do such a thing, do you? We're the Representatives for Ruin's sake! We should be exempt from such things!"

"Well, yes, ordinarily I'd agree with your statement." The Headmaster smiled, before continuing to speak. "Of course, this is the first time that we've had multiple Duelists for the Inter-School Contest, and, far more importantly, the only time that they're all _Transfer Students._ As much as I'd like to leave you be, _none_ of you have any grades for North Academy as is, and if I'm going to pass you three for the year, then there simply must be _something_ to put on paper."

"Ngh…! Are you saying that you won't accept the credit from our Duel Academy courses?!" Wisteria questioned, her voice strangely high-pitched.

"Duel Academy is the greatest rival North Academy has ever faced. Why, not once have we grasped victory from their stubborn, determined hands." Headmaster Foster's smile grew, having apparently expected that response. "Of _course_ we won't accept their credit."

Konami felt the sudden urge to raise a question, but Headmaster Foster spoke up again before he could.

"Oh! And just in case any of you are thinking of dropping out as soon as the Event ends… know that I'll have no choice but to forward your _Failure_ Transcripts to every school available, leaving you hardpressed to get back in anywhere, _including_ Duel Academy."

"Wha-?! You can't do this! I'm a Princeton!" Chazz snapped.

"And I'm a Fujiwara! We could sue you for this you know?!" Wisteria added, glowering at the man angrily.

Headmaster Foster continued to smile, and raised a hand placatingly. "Now, now. As I said before there's no need to get so worked up. The assignment I have in mind is quite a simple one in fact, and given your accomplishments at North Academy you three shouldn't find it too hard."

"That's for us to decide!" Chazz growled. "So go on then! What's this homework you decided to throw on us?!"

At that, Foster's smile became disturbingly sinister, and he intertwined his fingers Gendo Ikari style.

He spoke three words, and through them alone, Konami knew his days were about to get far more complicated.

"The Duel Giant."

A few minutes passed, and all was silent. Then.

"_BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASTION!"_

The door to the Ra Yellow's dorm burst open with a flying kick, and the lone student inside sighed.

"I take it you heard then?" he asked, turning his head back to regard the panting, worn-out Konami.

"The Duel Giant…!" Konami breathed. "He's struck again, but not cards! He's taken-"

"The Mystery Sandwiches from the Card Shop. Yes, I know." Bastion deadpanned, turning back to continue typing on his computer.

"The Mystery Sand- what? What do you mean you know?!" Konami asked, sweeping his hand out to the side dramatically. "I only found out a few minutes ago!"

"Yes well, remember when Wisteria told us that the Chancellor had called Jaden and I as well? Turns out we're supposed to solve this thing as well."

"It _must_ be Beauregard!" Konami thought furiously. "He's the only one big enough to be the Duel Giant-!"

"Erm… about that." Bastion said slowly. "Jaden and I had come to the same consensus earlier, but we've already verified it. This incarnation of the Duel Giant _isn't_ Beauregard, and before you say anything, no, he isn't lying. I have video surveillance of him during the accounted time of theft. He's innocent, as is that tiny friend of his."

"What? But if it's not them, then who?"

"I'm not sure. To be honest, I'm more curious as to why they're stealing the sandwiches! What good taking an entire carton of them do? It's not as if any of them are any good-"

"Ohohoho… those, _Bastion,_ are the words of someone who's never tasted the glory that is… the _Golden Egg Sandwich._" Konami said reverently.

Bastion stared at Konami with a dry look, before sighing and making to update his notes once more. "Yes, well, there's nothing more we can do about it today. I say you head back and get some rest, and we can all take a better look at this solving this mystery first thing tomorrow. Jaden and I have already agreed to partner up with you North Academy Representatives. Jaden seemed rather interested in discovering Chazz's new archetype, so that leaves…"

"I'm not partnering up with Wisteria." Konami deadpanned, misinterpreting Bastion's words.

"What? No! That's not what I'm saying-" Bastion exclaimed, turning in his chair swiftly only to find Konami had already left. "But… But I was going to ask him to partner with _me_!" Bastion cried.

"So Alexis huh…?" Konami thought quietly as he returned to the Main Dorm. "…Guess we'll see how it goes."

He entered the Faculty Lounge after showering, and went to sleep.

**-GX-**

**Some time passed over the night, and Konami slumbered peacefully. A shame it would not last.**

**-GX-**

It was strange, really, how Konami once again found himself in _that _place. Even so, the surroundings, though familiar, had changed.

The ancient ruins of his own private dream world had shattered, leaving their walls cracked and floors tattered. Black mist permeated through the air, now, and though Konami could breathe easy, each and every step he took felt as if he was marching further to his doom.

"Here again?" he thought, his voice echoing through the darkness. "Why?"

At least he knew it was a dream. In a strange, twisted way, perhaps that was for the best. Still, Konami couldn't help but wonder why his subconscious felt the need to drag him to such a place. Why couldn't it have given him a normal dream like other Duelists? Maybe one where he fought the Duel Giant or spent time with some of his lady friends?

One particular image of several women sitting in a hot tub eating strawberries came to mind.

Curse you subconscious, he wanted the strawberries!

But it was not to be.

Konami walked stiffly down the dark corridors, and like before, the light slowly faded away. There was no room for such a thing, in this place, and as he came to a trifling stop, Konami felt the cold, hard gaze of something dark. Something evil.

A yellow eye glared at Konami from the abyss, and a crude, hoarse voice boomed through his mind.

"**Who dares disturb my slumber?"**

It was a simple question, yet Konami could _feel_ the consequences before they even occurred.

This place… wherever it was… it wasn't good for him.

"**Come closer, boy."** The voice ordered suddenly. **"Lest I skin you alive, and feast on your flesh."**

The dream once more took over, and Konami, against his will, found himself walking further into the abyss.

The mist was sickly now, and the air carried a foul smell. Konami likened it to that of poison, but, having never experienced the smell of poison before, how could he be sure?

The situation did not bode well.

The doors separating Konami and the yellow eye soon opened, and just as the boy prepared to step inside, a blinding light erupted from his pendant and the gates within, barring the pair's union.

"**Bah!"** the mysterious voice roared in pain. **"The light…! It-"**

"-blinds you." Alexis said, standing above Konami's form.

"Huh…? Alexis…"

"Oh? You're awake now?" the Obelisk asked, a resigned expression crossing her face. "Asleep for the cleaning, awake for the dueling, just like most Slifers. How can you sleep in here, the Faculty Room… it's dirty."

Konami took the moment to glance around the room, his eyes adjusting to the surge of light beating in from the open blinds.

"It doesn't look that bad."

Alexis set a hand on her hip and sighed. "_That's_ because I've already done most of the cleaning in here. By the way, you really shouldn't sleep facing the window like that. When the Sun comes up, it'll wind up blinding you-"

"-blinding me? Was that was you were saying?" Konami asked.

"Huh? Well yeah. Why? Were you expecting something else?" Alexis said.

Konami shook his head after a moment, realizing he'd already lost the contents of his dreams to the turmoil of his waking mind. "No. Sorry about that, I'm still pretty tired. What are you doing here again?"

"Well I _was_ hoping on asking you if you'd made any headway on the missing Sandwiches… but I got a little caught up in cleaning up the mess." Alexis frowned at that, and she turned toward Konami with a wary stare. "I hope this isn't all yours, if it is, you may wind up having a reputation even worse than Jaden's. You should take a look at _his_ room sometime. It's a pigsty."

"_I'm sure having Chumley around eating everything doesn't help."_ Konami thought, knowing better than to say such things aloud.

At least to Alexis.

"Bastion suggested we partner up." Konami recalled, returning Alexis' stare meaningfully. "I was thinking about hooking up with you, actually."

"Slow down there, Romeo," Alexis said. "At this point, I'm not looking to "hook up" with anybody."

"Wha-? That's not what I meant, Alexis!" Konami retorted, and the girl responded with a small sigh.

"Sorry, for a moment I thought I was dealing with Mindy and Jasmine again." Alexis apologized. "I should have realized it was metaphor…"

"Those two huh? I was pretty surprised when they started doing the broadcast for our Duel. Then again, I guess they weren't really supposed to be there…" Konami thought. "They aren't doing any more unseemly things to get your attention, are they?"

"Always." Alexis replied. "Those two are really getting to be too much. They're always nosing around, getting into other people's business…"

"You should lighten up on them." Konami suggested. "They're just trying to show they care… I think."

"It's more than that." Alexis admitted. "I just wish that they wouldn't try to pair me up with every hot guy they come across. Look, can we not talk about this? You wanted to team up to look for the Duel Giant right? Let's focus on that for now."

"Fine by me." Konami agreed. "Just let me get dressed. I'll meet you outside in five."

Alexis nodded, and the two parted ways.

The five minutes passed rather quickly, and before long Konami once again appeared before Alexis, clad in his typical North Academy wear. The girl took in his appearance before nodding, allowing him to step in beside her.

"So, do you have any idea where we should start?" Alexis inquired.

Konami shrugged. "Not really. Guess the logical thing to do would be to check out the Card Shop, since that's where the sandwiches disappeared from anyway. Still, don't you think it's a little bit strange that the Duel Giant, who'd only stolen cards up to this point, suddenly started stealing _sandwiches_ instead? Seems like a pretty random move."

"…or they just got hungry." Alexis offered.

"Possible." Konami agreed.

The two Duelists took the time of their walk to trade thoughts, using each other as a springboard for new ideas. Eventually, the pair finally reached their destination, and letting their final conversation – one which included mongrels and other such nonsense – come to a close, stepped inside the local Card Shop.

"Well, here we are, at the card shop." Konami said, stating the obvious for everyone present. "…and what a surprise. No Duel Giant. No sandwiches. Let's go."

"It was exactly what we were expecting." Alexis said, following Konami back outside while glancing around. "Though maybe we should go back in and split up. Maybe we could think about asking the employees if they saw or heard anything-"

"AHA! There you two are!" an eerily loud voice cried out, catching the pair by surprise.

"No running away now! We caught you red-handed, Red Hat!" a similarly loud voice boomed.

Alexis felt a large bead of sweat drip down the back of her head. "Mindy, Jasmine…" she stated plainly, though a look of exasperation was on her face. It seemed she'd expected such a thing to happen, though why, was anyone's guess.

"Oh, it's you guys." Konami noted, greeting the two. "How's it going?"

"What the-? Don't you "how's it going?" us, mister!" Mindy frowned, setting her hands on her hips cutely while she spoke.

"Yeah! You can't move in on Alexis just because we aren't around!" Jasmine agreed.

Konami's eyes widened in surprise. "Move in on? What… does that even mean?"

"Trying to play dumb? Don't think we don't know what you're up to!" Jasmine continued, folding her arms in an unimpressed manner. "Bastion told us all about how you were planning on inducting Alexis into this little "harem" of yours!"

Alexis decided at that moment that she'd heard enough, and chose to step in before the situation could get any messier. As it was, they were already starting to draw a crowd.

"Oh really? Bastion said it this time then?" she asked, folding her arms and raising a brow curiously at the words. "Because the last time you came to me with this, I seem to remember you saying that _Syrus_ was the one informing you. And the time before that it was Chumley. And _Zane_."

"Erm… that just means that it's all the more true?" Mindy tried, though her rising voice gave her away.

Konami's surprised expression fell, and he turned to regard Alexis strangely. "So they do this a lot then?"

"Ever since you left." Alexis sighed. "I've been trying to get them to calm down by giving them some space, but it seems the Inter-School Duel's gotten them even _more _worked up than usual."

"Hey!" Jasmine scowled, stepping between the two swiftly while glaring at Konami. "No talking! I know we said we were chill and all earlier, but you think we're just gonna like, stand by while you brainwash Alexis into liking you, then you've got another thing coming bub!"

"Yeah, like, there's no way we'll let her join your harem against her will!" Mindy agreed, quickly stepping in to support Jasmine.

"Again with this harem nonsense…" Konami muttered, "just who exactly is already a part of it?"

The two girls exchanged a worried glance for a moment, before nodding and turning to answer his question.

"Me." Jasmine said with a frown.

"And me." Mindy added.

"And Yuma." The two spoke in unison then. "And Wisteria. Kami too, if you count her inevitable reappearance. Also, rumor is you've been trying to subvert your underclassmen too!"

"_My_ underclassman?" Konami asked incredulously. "I _am_ the underclassman you dolts! I'm literally a first-year! Who in the world is lower than me?!"

Again, the two exchanged a wary look.

"Middle-Schoolers!" they shouted at the same time, all the while pointing at Konami accusingly.

"Alright, that's enough!" Alexis shouted, drawing the pair's attention. "I'm _not_ brainwashed, and Konami _doesn't_ have a harem! You two have been going on about this for some time now, and it's not just with him either! For the past few weeks, you've been meddling with every guy I've decided to hang out, _even though they're just friends._" She stressed the last part, making the two girls squirm uneasily. "So, let me ask you. What's really going on with you two?"

"Alexis…" Jasmine said softly, glancing toward the ground softly.

"It's obvious we're too late!" Mindy chirped in horror. "She's like, completely out of our reach!"

"Yeah… Yeah, you're right!" Jasmine nodded, falling back into pace as Mindy spoke.

Alexis sighed at their antics. "You two… you just don't know when to stop, do you?"

"_He's_ the one who doesn't know when to stop!" Jasmine accused, pointing back at Konami. "You know what I think?! If you two want to be together so much, you'll have to beat _us_ first!"

"Yeah, and then if we win, you two can't like, hang out anymore, at all!" Mindy added.

Alexis closed her eyes for a moment, and released a breath that Konami suspected was meant to calm herself.

"So it's come to this again, has it? A Tag Duel between the four of us…?"

"Not the first time this has happened then?" Konami asked, earning a nod from the girl.

"Like I said, they've been pulling these antics the past few weeks." Alexis murmured. "I've been getting quite the experience in Tag Dueling thanks to it too."

"Which only means that she'll be that much harder to beat!" Mindy thought with a scowl, glaring at the two fiercely.

"We'll have our work cut out for us! Alexis is hard enough to beat while dueling alone! But if she's teamed up with Konami…!"

Red Hat's eyes flashed at the chance.

"_**OBJECTION!"**_ he shouted, thrusting his finger forward in an accusing fashion. "Alexis and I aren't dueling _anyone_! We're busy, trying to hunt down the Duel Giant who stole the Mystery Sandwiches!"

"What?! So you mean you're just gonna run away?!" Mindy gasped in horror. "But then, like, how are we supposed to save Alexis from your fiendish embrace?!"

"These adjectives are starting to get to me…" Konami deadpanned.

"You're right." Alexis said, lowering the Duel Disk she had been preparing. "We _are_ supposed to be focusing on dealing with the Giant right now… but it might be dangerous leaving these two be."

"Wha-? Us? _Dangerous_?!" Jasmine gasped. "Alexis… you really have changed!"

"What I do with my time is my business, and right now I'm helping Chancellor Sheppard and the other representatives find this guy." Alexis explained. "I don't know what's gotten into you two, but I don't have the time to deal with it right now. We _will _talk about this later, alright?"

"No, No, No, No, _No!_" Mindy shouted. "We're going to deal with this right now, Alexis, and I don't care what we have to say or do to make you understand-!"

Whatever Mindy was going to say or do was cut short, as the strangest thing ever decided to occur at exactly that moment. Even though everyone present had seen it, it would still be months and years before they even dared admitting that it was the truth.

For who, in their right minds, would have ever expected a _swinging monkey_ to choose that exact moment to scoop the screaming girl up and disappear into the trees?

No one, that's who.

"MINDY!" Jasmine shouted, having been the first one to recover from the shocking scene.

"It's heading into the forest! We might still be able to catch up!" Alexis exclaimed, already in pursuit.

Konami nodded, joining the chase. "Hang on, I'll come too!"

"S-Someone get me _down from here!_" Mindy screamed in the distance, accompanied by the sound of a noisy ape.

"That way!" Alexis said, following the voices to their source. "They're going further in!"

"We're never going to catch up at this rate!" Jasmine shouted. "We need to go faster!"

"Legs can only move so fast." Came Konami's reply.

"Hmph! Damon no use legs! Damon use vines like Ape!" another voice said, coming from overhead.

The three Duelists glanced upward at that, only to watch as a large, Tarzan-like figure swooped in from above, easily bypassing them to give chase to the Obelisk-napping Chimp.

As he disappeared from view, the sounds of battle were soon heard in the distance, along with the mighty victory cry of the same, Tarzan-shaped man.

"D-Did that just happen?" Konami asked, slowing his run to a walk.

"Come on. They can't have gone far!" Alexis said, continuing to run toward the approaching clearing.

"Mindy…"

"Damon Strong! Ape weak! That is why you lose!" the large man exclaimed, standing triumphantly over the ape, no, _chimp's_ beaten figure. A mechanical helmet lay discarded off to the side, and Mindy, though teary-eyed, was safe and secure.

"Mindy!" Jasmine repeated her line, quickly moving to ensure her bestie was safe.

Alexis too, joined the pair. It seemed whatever distance between them had been forgotten in wake of the girl's impromptu kidnapping.

"And you are…?" Konami asked, feeling that as he was the only one left, it was up to him to determine the rescuer's identity. He didn't look like anyone he'd seen before…

"Me Damon! Me best Drawer!" the man, _Damon_, said confidently.

"Heh. I think we already established that wasn't the case, big guy!" Jaden said suddenly, appearing from the other side of the clearing alongside Chazz.

"Tsk. He gets one victory and there goes the neighborhood!" Chazz grumbled, folding his arms in distaste. "Alexis? What are you doing here my sweet?!"

"That true." Damon interrupted whatever retort Alexis had coming. "Jaden best Damon in _Mortal Combat_. Jaden best Duelist!"

"We'll see about that tomorrow!" Chazz snarled, clenching his fists tight. "Everyone will see that the only one best at anything is the Chazz! Well, excluding you Alexis."

"Chazz…" Alexis warned, only to shake her head upon remembering that there were more important things to worry about. "Never mind. I'm more curious about where that chimp came from! And… just who this guy is you two seem to know."

"Aw, don't be like that Alexis! That chimp didn't mean any harm! It probably just wanted a Duel, right Wheeler?" Jaden asked, earning a grumpy nod from the ape.

Everyone began to freak out.

"Whoa, wait! It understands you?!"

"It Duels?!"

"Oh yeah, I played against Wheeler here a few weeks ago, right around the same time you and Chazz left Duel Academy Konami!" Jaden explained sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"So you came across a Dueling Chimpanzee… and you _didn't_ think it'd be important to tell anyone?" Alexis asked dryly. "Jaden…"

"What? It slipped my mind! Besides, you have to admit that I was pretty busy that week! Crowler was merciless with all the homework he gave us!"

"Only you would make such a Slifer Mistake, Slacker!" Chazz sniffed.

"That still doesn't explain "big guy" here." Konami said, gesturing to Damon briefly.

"Damon student! Damon take sandwiches for Draw Practice!"

"That's right!" Jaden explained. "We've already cleared things up with Dorothy over at the Card Shop though, so you don't have to worry about reporting him or anything."

"What." Konami frowned. "You mean all this time… _you_ show up at the last minute and solve everything again?!"

"What can I say?" Jaden asked, giving off another of his cheerful grins. "A hero shows up at the last moment, right?"

He did his victory pose, and Konami dropped dead.

Figuratively.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

* * *

**END**


	29. We Duel For Fun! X Which Academy Won?

"So… let me get this straight."

It was dark. Headmaster Foster's fingers were once again interlocked before him, and he stared down his three students with an _eye of judgment_.

The Divine Trinity did not falter.

"After some deliberation… you _did_ manage to find the Duel Giant, but you claim that our rival's student Jaden got to him first?"

"That's right, Headmaster." Wisteria offered, being the fastest on the draw. "The situation is unfortunate, but from how Chazz tells it, Jaden was not quite skilled enough to defeat _and_ contain this… Duel Giant fellow. He got away again I'm afraid, though I'm hardly surprised. What would you expect, sending a Duel Academy student to do a North Academy job?"

"Y-Yeah, that's right!" Chazz agreed, knowing the truth about the situation but sworn to secrecy by Konami (and Alexis). "I definitely would have had him, but that Slifer Slacker Jaden got in the way!"

"I see. Well, there's nothing to be done for it I suppose." The Headmaster sighed. "I shall be forced to give the three of you average grades at this point, unless something… particular happens. I'm certain you know what I'm referring to, Chazz."

"Yeah, I got it. I just have to beat Jaden in front of everyone tomorrow, right?" Chazz snorted. "I already told you, there's no way the Princeton will lose!"

"I hope you're right." Headmaster Foster said. "For your sake, if no one else's."

The man sighed then, lowering his hands to drum his fingers along the side of his desk noisily.

"Begone then. I have much to prepare for the Duel tomorrow, and things to discuss with dear old Chancellor Sheppard. Thank you for alerting me to the Duel Giant situation. I'll be sure to make a note of it in the report."

"Yes Headmaster." The three students said in unison, and they turned to leave.

The second the door was closed behind them Wisteria scowled and quickly turned away from her fellow classmates, if they could really be called that.

"I'll be forced to give the three of you average grades!" she mocked, placing her hands on her hips angrily. "Oooh! Just who does he think he is? Does he really think the Fujiwara Foundation will settle for just average?! It seems I'll need to remind him just who's in charge around here!"

"I am." Konami said blandly, strolling past her with a bored look on his face. "Besides, Headmaster Foster is just that, a Headmaster. It's his _job_ to make sure we do what we're told, even if the system at North Academy is a little… unique."

"Che… you're in charge?" Chazz grunted, greeting Konami with a stern glare. "I don't remember to agreeing to that!"

"Well, I certainly don't see anyone around here calling _you_ King, Chazz." Konami said with a small smile.

"That's because Princeton's don't need silly nicknames!" Chazz declared, swooping his arm to the side valiantly.

"Like Manjoume Thunder?" Konami questioned, raising a brow in surprise.

"Wha- You-! That's different!" Chazz snapped. "And you know it!"

"Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge, Jazz." Konami said, waving him off. "Besides, you can be King all you like after the Inter-School Duel is over. I've already decided to go back to Duel Academy, remember?"

"Hmph!" Wisteria took that moment to remind them of her presence. "Why you'd want to return to this island of brownnosers and bullies is beyond me, especially when you already have a place among North Academy's monarchial society!"

"There are more important things than ranking, Wisteria." Konami explained, shaking his head at her words.

"Like what?" the girl scoffed.

"_Friendship and bravery and_ _– oh Red Hat be careful!_" Chazz mocked.

Konami frowned. "Stop being a troll, Chazz, or do you want to wind up unconscious in the girl's bathroom with a stick up your nose too?"

"Hmph!" the Princeton scowled, folding his arms imperiously. "The only thing worth staying here for is Alexis! Of course, neither of you are allowed to tell her I said that!"

"Whatever." Konami sighed, parting from the group to leave the Submarine. "I'm going to sleep. I'll see you two tomorrow. With any luck, it'll be the last time."

Wisteria felt the words were directed solely at her, but she paid them no mind. Rather, her thoughts were focused on another fact…

Konami never answered her question.

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: TAG FORCE**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Eight**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

The Faculty Lounge. Midnight.

During the course of the past week, Konami had found a home in the small, compact space. Certainly, Wisteria's presence just beyond the outer doors was somewhat unappealing, but he cared little for such things. The space he took up, the couch to the table… it was _his_ space, and it was fact alone that kept him sane.

So why, why, why, _why, __**why**_did the old man insist on visiting him?

"The Duel Energy is-"

"-strong tonight yes I know." Konami interrupted, his face sour with the rage of one who'd been woken aggressively. "Now, if that's all, I'd been having a rather nice dream about chocolate-"

"The time is near." the old man explained. "An ancient foe shall make itself known, and with it, a dark and terrible age of madness shall descend upon the world."

Konami listened to the man's words stoically. Once he was finished, the student sighed, and approached the man with a wary eye.

"Are you feeling alright tonight?" Konami asked, cautiously. "You're acting even stranger than usual, old man."

"Tell me, child." The man replied. "What do you know of darkness?"

Konami raised a brow in surprise. "Darkness? It's bleak, gloomy. Sometimes frightening, others not. It can also be comforting, in the right places. I can't see myself getting a good night's rest with a bunch of lights on, for instance, and on that note…"

Konami turned, intending to once again drift to sleep only for the man to speak up yet again.

"Your friends. They too, shall know darkness in the coming days." He revealed, rubbing his chin in deep thought. "Will they have the strength to resist it, I wonder? Or will her infernal grasp be the end of us all?"

"Once again, you make no sense." Konami pointed out.

The old man chortled, and a small smile drifted upon his face as he stared at Red Hat. "It will, in time. Tomorrow is the Duel between Jaden and that Princeton boy, is it not? You should rest. You never know what new events the outcome may bring."

Only receiving an annoyed glare in response, the man laughed once more before turning in his wheelchair to leave.

"Until next time, child. If we are both still around that is."

He left the Faculty Lounge without giving further information, and Konami shivered. His laughs could be heard trailing through the halls, no doubt frightening any students foolish enough to still be up and about.

Konami sighed, gripping his cap tightly and moving to lower it back over his eyes. Now that he was done, he could return to that dream-

"So." A feminine voice said from behind him. "Who was that?"

"Wisteria?" Konami asked, earning an annoyed, determined gaze from the girl. "You were listening?"

"I… wasn't trying to." The Fujiwara admitted, turning her head to the side in annoyance. She mumbled something beneath her breath. "Nonetheless, my question has yet to be answered. Who was that?"

"Just an old wise man doing old wise people things." Konami explained.

"He certainly didn't seem very wise." Wisteria drawled.

Konami frowned. "That's because you're still sleeping." He waved his hand in Jedi-like fashion. "You are still asleep."

"I haven't gone to bed yet." Wisteria revealed, her face curling back in a disgusted expression.

"That's what _you_ think." Konami said, only serving to irritate the girl further.

"Tsk. Fine, if you don't want to tell me who that man was then I won't waste my time any further! At least after tomorrow I won't have to put up with you asinine scenarios any further!" with a soft huff, she turned, making for the door that led to her temporary abode.

"Hang on a moment," Konami called, much to her displeasure. "You knew it was Damon who'd stolen the sandwiches. Why didn't you turn him in? You didn't have to back our story up."

Wisteria turned back to glare at him for a moment, but only just. "You said it yourself," she said eerily, turning away to leave. "Some things are more important than rankings."

With that said, she disappeared from the room, leaving Konami to his thoughts.

Falling asleep after that had been a nightmare in and of itself. Konami could never quite find that right spot on the couch in the dark, and as a result, had taken to unceremoniously stretching himself out to take up the entire space. It was an uncomfortable maneuver, one that he had no interest in repeating in the coming days. Luckily, he thought, it would be the last time he'd be forced to sleep on the couch while in the Academy.

Morning came some time later, and with it, the announcement of the Final Duel. Konami, ever the punctual (not), dressed quickly. Grabbing his padded Slifer Jacket and crimson slacks, he armed himself for battle, and left for the Stadium.

He was not the first to arrive, he noted.

Bastion and the other Representatives who'd already competed were already gathered. Jaden and Chazz were the only ones missing, it seemed.

Konami sighed, wondering which of the two was running late. Jaden, he decided after a moment's thought. Chazz was more likely to sit back and make a scene than arrive late accidentally, Konami knew. The Slifer Jaden on the other hand… well, he was never quite the responsible one, was he?

"Scuse me! Pardon me! Next King of Games, coming through!"

Ah, speak of the devil.

"Well, he's arrived." Wisteria said with a frown. "I suppose that means we should get moving."

"Huh?" Konami asked. "Aren't we going to the Stadium?"

Alexis shook her head. "Not quite. Remember how during your Duel Wisteria and I weren't beside Jaden and Chazz? All the Representatives who've already had their Duels are to wait in a separate area, that faculty room we used before."

"Right… I get it now." Konami said. "Speaking of Duels though, whatever happened with Mindy and Jasmine? Did you ever find out what was wrong with them? They were acting a bit… strange yesterday."

Alexis sighed, as if annoyed by the reminder. "Those two… don't worry. They aren't going to show up and harass you like that again. They're just jealous that I haven't been able to spend as much time with them as I usually do, but I've already assured them that it's only temporary. This Representative thing has been draining on all of us. They just didn't understand that, I think."

"Hmm… if you say so." Konami shrugged. "Well, if you're sure they're not gonna show up and start screaming about something weird I'm okay with it."

"Indeed." Bastion said. "If they were truly feeling so left out they should have come to see _me_! I could have distracted them with tutoring lessons… among other things."

Wisteria wrinkled her nose in disgust at that, and quickly led the group to the side room. Stepping inside, Konami realized that the television screen was recording the stadium outside, no doubt to provide them complete coverage of the Duel in real time. Was this where Alexis and Wisteria saw his Duel as well? It would make sense, he thought.

"That idiot Chazz still hasn't shown up." Wisteria whispered, folding her arms angrily. "He better not make us look like a fool out there!"

"It's Chazz." Konami said. "He'll be looking to make a dramatic entrance."

And it was true, it seemed.

No sooner did Konami finish telling Wisteria such a thing did the lights dim, and the sound of roaring thunder flashed across the stadium. Konami resisted the urge to face palm. How much money did Chazz waste doing that…?

"M-M-M-MANJOUME! _THUNDAH!_"

In a flash of lightning the Princeton appeared, garbed in his new black coat and North Academy gear. He walked to the arena floor with an elitist smirk, raising his Duel Disk powerfully before yelling out to the crowd above.

"It's time to Chazz It Up!"

North Academy roared and cheered at the announcement, though Duel Academy was understandably… unimpressed.

"Oh, Chazz…!" Konami groaned, no longer resisting the urge. He slapped a palm against his face in embarrassment, listening to the small chuckles of Bastion beside him.

"Well, that was… quite the entrance, Mr. Princeton!" Chancellor Sheppard exclaimed, his voice calling out over the crowd's noise. "Alas, now that you have arrived, it is time to start the last, but not least, Inter-School Duel!"

The crowd's cheers rose higher at the declaration, and Jaden laughed sheepishly at the announcement.

"Looks like it's finally time for us to throw down again, hey Chazz?" he asked.

"That's right, loser!" Chazz said. "But this time, I'll be the one coming out on top! Believe it!"

Jaden snickered, rubbing the bridge of his nose softly. "We'll just have to see about that, won't we Chazz?"

Jaden and Chazz then activated their Duel Disks, grinning and glaring at each other respectively.

"It's time!" the Chancellor's words rang one last time. "Let the Duel… begin!"

**DUEL**

**JADEN VS CHAZZ**

**JADEN – 4000 LP**

**CHAZZ – 4000 LP**

"I'm going first!" Chazz declared, drawing a card.

**TURN ONE – CHAZZ**

"Hmph. I'll start by playing a monster in Defense Position!" he shouted then, setting a single card on the Field. "And that'll do for now!"

"Wow, that's all?" Jaden asked. "You may think that's enough, but it won't be once you see what I've got for ya!" he laughed. "Draw!"

**TURN TWO – JADEN**

"Just what I wanted!" he said, grinning at the card in his hand. "I summon… Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in Attack Mode!"

A pillar of flame rose from the Field at his command, and the pale, red-clothed heroine arrived, standing before her summoner fiercely.

Elemental Hero Burstinatrix – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV4 – (1200/800)

"Actually," Jaden joked, "on second thought I should have said _Slayer-mode_, because that's exactly what she's gonna do to that face-down!"

Burstinatrix attacked at that, gliding into the air to shoot a hurling blame of flame down toward Chazz's card. The Princeton grunted as an explosion rocked the arena, but he did not falter.

"Heh, joke's on you, Jaden!" Chazz smirked. "You fell for my bait, because that face-down card was a _Masked_ _Dragon_, and when he's destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon a Dragon-type monster with 1500 or less Attack Points from my Deck! And I have just the one!" Chazz declared. "Go ahead and see for yourself! Come out, Armed Dragon Level Three!"

At his words a large yellow dragon rose, his back and fists covered by a metallic substance. It glared at Jaden fiercely, all the while growling softly beside Chazz.

Armed Dragon LV3 – (WIND/Dragon) – LV3 – (1200/900)

**-GX-**

**Meanwhile... in the side room.**

**-GX-**

"So he used those cards after all." Konami thought aloud.

"Yeah, and Level Three is the lowest! If he plays his cards right that thing's gonna get a lot bigger!" Alexis said.

"Indeed." Bastion said, as always. "I just wonder where Chazz ever got such a powerful card."

Wisteria shot Konami a knowing glance. She, as did most of North Academy, knew _exactly_ where Chazz had gotten that card, as well as the others.

Konami noticed her gaze, and turned away sheepishly. Why should she care anyway? She was supposed to be _happy_ that North Academy had such power.

Turning his attention back to the Duel, Konami watched as Jaden placed a face-down and ended his Turn. He sighed. At this rate, Chazz was gonna have even more of an upper hand than before. After all, Armed Dragon's effect was built specifically for the purpose of powering up after surviving the opponent's turn… at least Level Three's was.

"I'm thirsty." Konami said suddenly, stepping away from the others toward the door leading back to the halls. "Anyone want anything while I'm out?"

"While the sentiment is appreciated, I have no needs of liquefied substance at this moment." Bastion replied.

"While I may not have such a fancy way of saying it, I don't exactly need a drink at the moment either." Alexis revealed.

"Nor do I," Wisteria said, feeling the need to throw in her own two cents. "Seems you're the only one who's dehydrated, King."

"Then I'll be the only one who misses out on what happens. Let me know what I missed when I get back?" Konami asked, raising a brow at Bastion in particular.

"Certainly. I shall endeavor to record every move and strategy they make, though I suspect the Chancellor would not object to your use of his TiVo…"

Konami nodded, and reached for the doorknob. "Thanks." he said, and he stepped out into the hall.

As expected, it was empty. Everyone was focused on the Duel in the stadium, and as a result, the rest of the Academy was left desolate and empty, save for the few roaming security guards patrolling the stadium grounds.

Walking down the hall toward the water fountain around the corner, Konami sighed. Regardless of the outcome of the Duel, today was to be his final day as a student of North Academy. He wondered if he should have felt some degree of sorrow at the thought. After all, it was only due to Headmaster Foster's challenges that Konami had managed to return to Duel Academy at the first place, never mind the new cards the boy had received.

Supposing that he could at least thank the man one last time before their departure, Konami turned the knob on the fountain and began to drink the clear liquid that emerged.

Surprisingly, it was even more delicious than he remember. It must have been due to all the foreigners who flew in to watch the Duels live. They were all seated in the VIP boxes… alongside Headmaster Foster and Chancellor Sheppard themselves…

Upon realizing that fact, Konami's eyes widened, and he stepped away from the fountain with a new plan forming in his mind.

Everyone was in the stadium… their eyes focused only on the Jaden/Chazz Duel of the Century. The guards had been instructed to patrol the stadium and the stadium alone, a place that Konami had already left in order to get water.

Simply put, everywhere else, including the Chancellor's Office, was empty.

"The identity of my benefactor…" Konami mumbled quietly, recalling the mass emails he and Bastion had seen during their search for the first "Duel Giant". "It's within reach…"

He glanced over his shoulder cautiously then, and upon confirming that no one else was around, sped down the hall toward the man's office. It was too good a chance to pass up.

"_Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Back one, Ah! There it is!"_ he thought, coming to a stop in front of the Chancellor's office doors. "Just where I thought they'd be."

They were closed, of course, but not locked. Given the man's cheerful disposition, Konami was hardly surprised. With a soft creak, he pushed one of the doors open, and peered his eye through the crack.

Empty, or so it seemed. That meant it was the perfect time for him to step in and dig through some of those school files.

Tiptoeing into the room quietly and closing the door behind him, Konami snuck toward the man's desk, intending to do just that. He knew he had to work quickly, of course. There was no telling how long Alexis, Bastion, and Wisteria would expect him to be gone, and given Bastion's rational thinking habits, it would not be long before the boy suspected something was amiss.

Whether that meant Bastion himself or security would start looking for him, Konami didn't know.

Best to not have to find out, he thought.

Creeping behind Chancellor Sheppard's desk, Red Hat began digging through the cabinets, searching for whatever container held files on the school's many students. They couldn't have been far, Konami knew. Chancellor Sheppard, among other things, was known immensely among the school communities for his bragging. It would have been just like him to have student records on hand, if only for the sole purpose of showing them off to Duel Academy's many rivals.

"Nothing physical is here." Konami whispered after a moment, turning toward the keyboard. "All digital then?"

It would make sense. After all, why keep hordes of paper in your office when you could change that space to a few hard drives on a computer? Konami grimaced at the thought, and with good reason. If Chancellor Sheppard had kept everything digital, there was no telling how hard it'd be to break the man's passcode. It wasn't like Konami was Bastion after all, and during his first _official_ day in Duel Academy he'd already shown how incompetent he was in using such machines.

It had nearly set fire, for Judgeman's Sake!

He took a deep breath, and brought the chair behind him forward, intending to sit down-

"Ow!"

Konami grunted, as he'd made to push his feet beneath the desk, his toe had stubbed itself against something… squishy. Grimacing, the boy reeled back, knowing full well that he hadn't been the one to cry out. He glanced beneath the desk stoically, just in time to see a small boy dressed in red roll out from beneath it, pushing him out the way.

"A person?! Hold on a second-!" Konami shouted, but the person was having none of it. With a loud cry, they kicked Konami in the shin as they emerged, prompting the boy to stumble back and collapse in response. He grunted in pain at the motion, and quickly glared up at the small figure.

"What the hell was that about – no, before that, who are you? What are you doing in here?" Konami said.

"T-That's supposed to be my line, isn't it?!" the small boy retorted in a voice far deeper than Konami expected. "I know who you are! You're that North Academy Student Guy, the one who beat that Ra Yellow yesterday! What's someone like you doing in the Chancellor's Office?!"

"Something that doesn't concern you." Konami said, taking in the boy's appearance properly as he rose to his feet. "You're a Slifer, right? Funny, I don't remember seeing you during my time there…"

"T-That's because I'm new! A Transfer Student, you could say!" the boy said, backpedaling quickly.

"Ah, so in that regard, you shouldn't be in here either." Konami noted, and the boy flinched.

"T-That's…! Shut up!"

"Right, Right…" Konami said, raising his hands in defeat. "Well, how about this then. Since neither of us are technically supposed to be here… how about you do your thing and I'll do mine, and if anyone asks, this never happened, alright?"

"T-That's fine." The boy said after a moment, having evidently taken the time to think it over. "Don't get any funny ideas though! Just because we're alone together… You better not try to feel me up!"

Konami deadpanned. "Why would I want to feel you up?" he asked, stepping past the boy to return to the computer. "You're a guy."

Though Konami didn't see it, the boy behind him flushed rapidly, and tucked their beanie cap ever lower.

"R-Right! That's right!" the boy said, even deeper than before. "Never mind I said that then! I'm just like you! One of the guys! Ha ha, ha!"

"Nnn…." Konami mumbled, and he sat back down in the Chancellor's chair. "Let's see then. Maybe if I try this I can… no use. Password protected… Let's try… Duel Academy Rox? No? How about… SliferRules2006? Not that either? Hmn…"

"Those passwords are really lame." The small boy said suddenly, having drifted to the bookshelves away from Konami.

"What would know?" Konami inquired. "Besides, I could totally see Chancellor Sheppard having a password like that. He's just that bubbly. Or is it cheerful?"

"Who cares? If the guy had any sense, the password would be ZaneRoxForever!"

Konami stared at the boy with a bland expression. "Fan, I take it?"

"Of course! Who doesn't love Zane, the Top Duelist of Duel Academy?! His Cyber Style is really amazing!"

Konami had the suspicion that the boy was blushing then, but having been turned away from him, he couldn't verify his claim.

"How annoying." He said instead, tapping away at the keyboard idly. "Zane's not all that special. Bit hardcore though."

"W-What would you know about Zane?!" the boy asked, affronted.

"Well, I did Duel him once, so I think I'd know more than you." Konami shrugged.

"What?! Really?! You Dueled Zane?! That's really amazing! Was it everything I dreamed of?!" the boy asked, then, having discarded his position by the shelves to question Konami thoroughly. "Wait! No! Don't tell me… you beat him?!"

Konami smirked. "Heh…"

The boy's eyes widened. "What?!"

Tears began pooling down Konami's face then, and he turned away in shame. "I was completely defeated."

"Hah!" the boy cheered. "I knew it! Zane wouldn't lose to anyone, even the North Academy Representative doesn't stand a chance!"

"Maybe. But I know his habits now. If we Duel again it won't end the same." Konami decided, turning his attention back to the keyboard.

"You're just jealous! I bet you'd do anything to have skills like Zane does! I bet that once he graduates and joins the Pro Leagues, even Yugi Muto won't stand a chance!" the boy said happily.

"Bit of a stretch there, don't you think?" Konami asked, raising a brow at the boy's confidence. "Zane may be a good Duelist, but there's a difference between good and _legendary_. The King of Games hasn't held on to the title for years for no reason, after all."

"Maybe, but once Zane's Cyber End Dragon shows up, not even the Dark Magician will be able to save the day!"

Konami sighed then, exiting out the computer and making to stand.

"Huh?! Nothing to say now, huh?" the boy asked.

"Nope. I'm not going to sit here and argue with a midget like you." Konami said, patting the boy's beanie-covered head mockingly. "Besides, I can't get into that computer right now anyway. It's locked out. Too many incorrect attempts or some jazz. I guess I'll head back before anyone misses me."

"Yeah! You do that! Obviously you know when to run from the truth when you see it!" the boy declared. "Face it! You're just leaving because you can't think of any counterarguments to my words!"

"I can think of one." Konami said simply.

"Wha-?"

"BLS. Envoy of the Beginning." He slipped the name of the overpowered monster, and left the room.

As he walked down the hall, he could've sworn he heard the boy's girly scream of frustration behind him. A shame, he'd have liked to see the expression on the kid's face.

Stopping for another long drink from the water fountain (he had to have at least a somewhat drenched expression after all) Konami returned to the side room, just in time to meet Alexis's, Wisteria's, and Bastion's surprised faces.

"Well, look who decided to finally show up." Wisteria muttered, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"You were gone a rather long time." Bastion said. "Did something happen?"

"Not at all. That fountain water… it's absolutely _amazing_." Konami lied. "What did I miss?"

"Quite a bit, actually." Alexis said, gesturing to the screen. "Here, take a look for yourself!"

Konami did, and what he saw, surprised him.

**JADEN – 300 LP**

**CHAZZ – 2100 LP**

"Oh my god. Jaden's _losing_." Konami whispered, glancing at the screen in surprise.

"I know." Bastion agreed.

Konami turned to face the actual picture, intent on watching the conclusion to the final Duel.

_KAIBAVISION_

"_Hehahahahahahaha! _Looks like your Hero Kids just got grounded!" Chazz laughed, tilting his nose to the ceiling happily. "Grounded up! Tell you what! If you surrender now, I promise not to embarrass you on global television! Oh wait, I already did! Hehahahaha, Hahahahahaha!"

"It's not that funny!" Syrus said from the stands, surprising Konami. He hadn't been seen in quite some time.

Jaden!" Chancellor Sheppard shouted from the stands, having been seated beside Headmaster Foster. "Don't give up!"

"Who's giving up?" Jaden asked, grinning as usual. "I'm having way too much fun to give up! After all, that's what Dueling's all about! Win _or_ Lose! Cause if you're having fun you win all the time!"

"It can't be!" Chazz said.

"It's true!" Jaden retorted. "And if I can have fun right now _losing_, shouldn't you be able to winning? It's seriously not that hard… despite what your brothers may want you to believe."

Chazz's eyes narrowed at that. "What do you know about my brothers?!"

"Well…" Jaden smiled, "for starters Chazz, I know they're the ones you're dueling for, _and _they're the ones who've been putting all this pressure on you. Aw come on, Chazz! Remember when you dueled for the excitement of it?"

"I only Duel to win!" Chazz decided, and his eyes narrowed further.

Jaden's too, darkened at the declaration. "Well, let's see where that gets you! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN THIRTEEN – JADEN**

"I play, the Warrior Returning Alive!" Jaden shouted, sliding the Spell Card into his Duel Disk. "Now I can bring a Warrior back from the Grave and add it to my Hand, and I think I'll choose… my favorite feathered friend! Elemental Hero Avian! And then… with Polymerization, I'll fuse him and my Elemental Hero Burstinatrix to make… the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

Avian and Burstinatrix disappeared in the swirling vortex as Jaden spoke, their powers combining to create one of Jaden's most well-known fusions.

In a pillar of flame the muscular green hero emerged, carrying a hand shaped like the head of a dragon. It descended upon the Field heroically, before staring down Chazz's Armed Dragon LV7.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman – (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) – LV6 – (2100/1200)

"So?" Chazz asked. "He doesn't stand a chance against my monster! After all, my Armed Dragon has 2800 Attack Points! You're way outmatched!"

"Wrong Chazz, because I'm inviting my three Hero Kids to come back out and play!" Jaden grinned.

"To play?" Chazz asked.

"Yeah. With _your_ Points!" Jaden exclaimed. "I activate Miracle Kids! Here's how it works! For every Hero Kid I got in the Grave, your Armed Dragon loses 400 Attack Points, and since I have three, Armed Dragon's Attack loses 1200!"

The Armed Dragon slumped tiredly as three ghostly visages entered its being, and it whined in frustration at the notion. Chazz glanced up at the monster in surprise, his face soon contorting in rage.

"What?! No!"

Armed Dragon LV7 – (WIND/Dragon) – LV7 – (1600/1000)

"Now who's outmatched?" Jaden asked. "Actually, don't answer that! Flame Wingman will for you!"

And it did. With a leap into the air the Elemental Hero released its horrid flame, burning the Armed Dragon to cinders. As the dragon roared and snarled in pain, the transmission was suddenly cut.

**JADEN – 300 LP**

**CHAZZ – 1600 LP**

"W-What the-?" Konami blanched.

"The broadcast was being held by the Princeton Group…" Bastion recalled immediately. "They must have cut the screens to save face!"

"Well then, there's only one way to see how this ends!" Konami shouted, and the group opened the doors back into the stadium to watch.

Not a moment too soon, it seemed.

"Armed Dragon's been defeated…" Konami whispered.

"And the attack's not over yet." Bastion knew. "The Flame Wingman still has his superpower. That comes next."

"Yeah," Alexis agreed, "and it's really gonna burn Chazz. His Life Points will now take damage equal to his Armed Dragon's Attack Points."

"But… Chazz only has 1600 Life Points left!" Wisteria exclaimed. "His Armed Dragon's were the same when it died, so… that means-"

"That this Duel… is over." Konami realized, wanting to have the last word.

"_Nooooooooooooo!"_ Chazz roared, throwing his head to the sky as his Life Points fell. The crowd watched in muted horror as the Duel came to its close.

**JADEN – 300 LP**

**CHAZZ – 0 LP**

"And that's game!" Jaden said, tossing his victory gesture out swiftly.

The monsters faded away.

"You loser! You dog! You've disgraced yourself! You've disgraced the Princeton family name!"

"You are no brother of ours anymore."

Chazz bowed his head, unable to take the insults of his older brothers.

"Just give me… another chance!" he pleaded, sprawled upon the floor weakly.

"Another chance?! Do you know how much we spent on this Duel?!"

"The cameras, the rare cards! None of which you used I might add!"

"Sorry, I thought I could win this by myself." Chazz apologized, to no avail.

His brothers grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, pulling him up only to beat him back down.

"Yourself?!"

"When could you do anything by yourself, Chazz?!"

"Let him go!" two voices shouted, and for a moment, Jaden and Konami glanced at each other in surprise. For once, Konami would not be denied.

Before Jaden could speak further, he moved ahead, staring at the two older Princetons dispassionately.

"It's true, Chazz lost." he said, staring at Manjoume Thunder thoughtfully, "but did you expect any different with you two jerks breathing down his neck?"

"Yeah, you tell em Konami!" Jaden agreed, having wanted to say something similar himself.

"Two Jerks…?" Slade asked. "Do you have any idea who we are?! We could have you crushed, kids."

"Or, we could settle for crushing you instead." Wisteria said, deciding to make it a North Academy matter. "You say we don't know who you are, but do you know who _I _am? The Fujiwara Foundation does not take kindly to the Princeton way."

"The Fujiwara Foundation…?" Jagger grunted, turning to eye their former brother once more. "Why would you want to defend Chazz anyway? He's a nobody now! Disowned by us, and the world! I mean, the cameras caught enough of it! He got schooled, and by a Slifer no less!"

"That's right!" Slade agreed. "And then worst of all he got beat!"

"Wrong!" Jaden said then, unable to keep quiet any further. "There's one fight he did win! The fight… against _you two_! Hey, maybe Chazz didn't win the Duel but at least he fought it on his own terms! It's like he said! He used _his _cards, not the ones your money could buy!"

Slade and Jagger both grunted then, and tossed Chazz away.

"Tight Duel Chazz." Jaden said to him, "And hey, I know it may sound cheesy, but I think we both won today."

"You're just saying that!" Chazz said, shoulders trembling. "I mean, come on! Nobody else believes that!"

"_We do Chazz!"_ the roars of both Academy's students shouted, raising their fists to the sky powerfully. They were all crying. "_Yeah! Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up!"_

Slade and Jagger both glared around the stadium then, before stalking off back toward their helicopter.

"I don't have time for this garbage!" they grunted, making to disappear before things could get any more annoying.

As soon as they were gone, Chancellor Sheppard and Headmaster Foster approached the stage.

"Well, now that all that's said and done… there's just one last matter to settle." Headmaster Foster said, staring over the gathered representatives thoughtfully.

"Indeed. It seems we have a tie, Foster." Chancellor Sheppard said, a sinister gleam in his eye.

"Huh? That's right!" Bastion said, eyes widening. "Since Wisteria and Alexis ended their Duel in a Draw, that leaves both North Academy and Duel Academy with one win! Which means… there's no clear winner right now!"

"Oh I think there's an easy way to deal with that, right Jaden?" Konami inquired, glaring at the boy who'd been one step ahead the entire week.

"Huh? Oh I get what you're saying! And for the record, I'm all for it Konami!" Jaden shouted.

The two grinned at each other, formidable battle auras forming around them.

"The Duel Energy is strong huh…?" Konami whispered beneath his breath. "Looks like that guy knows what he's talking about after all…"

The Chancellor and Headmaster quickly shooed the other representatives, including Chazz, away from the stadium, and led Konami and Jaden back to their respective sides of the arena. Once they were settled in, the two teachers stepped toward the center of the room, and grabbed their microphones.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!"

"Duelists and Fans!"

"Due to the situation created in the last match, we bring to you now… a Tiebreaker Duel! The two victors of the former Duels squaring off against one another, to determine once and for all which Academy is the best! Jaden! Konami! The best our Academies have to offer! Which of them shall rise?! Which of them shall fall?! We'll find out, right now, in the Final Inter-School Duel!"

They leapt from the arena then, and the two red Duelists raised their Disks.

The Strongest Slifer.

The Lord of the Red.

It all came down to this.

The Final Battle.

Their eyes gleamed in delight as they readied their stances.

Three… Two… One…

"DUEL!"

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

* * *

**END**


	30. Red vs Red X You Made Your Bed

"Some readers think I should run from the women, but in the M-Rated Sexy Edition, I get _all_ the women!" Konami said.

"Some readers wonder if my Deck will keep changing," Konami thought aloud. "I think, that if it's to further my skills, bring them all on! I do plan on returning to Dragons though. There's this Disaster thing I've been wanting to try…"

"That bastard Jaden's beaten me to the Duel Giant this entire week!" Konami declared. "But this time, I'll be the one beating _him_! Don't worry readers, I won't let you down!"

"Who are you talking to?" Bastion asked.

"Yu-Ma that's who!"

"What did you say about my mother?!"

* * *

**Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force**

* * *

**Learning to Duel**

* * *

**Arc Three – Chapter Nine**

* * *

**Duels of Darkness**

* * *

The stadium cheered as the two red-clad Duelists stared each other down.

Duel Academy on one end, hoping for the success of their very own Jaden Yuki.

North Academy on the other, praying for the victory of Konami Kodo.

The two both had their share of victories, but finally, the time had come to determine which of them was the better Duelist once and for all.

The two stared each other forcefully, and in the stands, the two Academy Deans cheered.

"You ready for this, Konami?" Jaden asked happily. "I'm not gonna hold back!"

"Same goes for me." Konami replied, raising his Duel Disk. "It's been a long time coming, Jaden…"

The Slifer's eyes flashed then, and he raised his own Duel Disk in response.

"But _you're_ the one that's going down!"

**DUEL!**

**JADEN VS KONAMI**

**JADEN – 4000 LP**

**KONAMI – 4000 LP**

"I'm going first!" Jaden shouted, making to draw a card quickly.

**TURN ONE – JADEN**

"Alright, now that's what I'm talking about!" Jaden grinned. "This is a big match, and what better way to start it off than with a big move?! I activate, the Polymerization Spell Card! Now, I can combine two monsters in my hand into a new one on the Field, and I think I know just which one to use!"

Pausing for a moment, Jaden reached for two more cards in his hand, before revealing the forms of Elemental Hero Avian and Elemental Hero Burstinatrix.

"Oh brother." Konami muttered.

"Oh brother is right, because by fusing my Avian and Burstinatrix together, a new winged hero is born!" Jaden said, sending the two monsters and Polymerization to the Graveyard to activate its effect. "Rise up, _Elemental Hero Flame Wingman_!"

As during the Duel with Chazz, a swirling pillar of fire erupted in front of Jaden as he spoke, fading to reveal the muscular green form of the prized hero. His red tail and draconic hand lashed about wildly for the briefest of seconds, before a flap of his wings doused the burning flames, and prepared him for battle.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman – (WIND/Warrior) – LV6 – (2100/1200)

"I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn!" Jaden finished, grinning as his starting Field.

"Not bad." Konami said in approval, glancing at his own hand all the while. "You opened with a good card, but… that just means I'll have to go all out myself! My Turn, Draw!"

**TURN TWO – KONAMI**

"Heh, well Jaden, you've been wanting to see the power of my Gem-Knights firsthand right? Looks like you're in luck, because you aren't the only one capable of summoning a Fusion monster on the first turn!"

The declaration caught Jaden by surprise, and Konami quickly reached for a card in his hand.

"I activate this! The Fusion Magic – Gem-Knight Fusion! Like Polymerization, it allows me to combining two monsters into one, so long as the monster I'm summoning requires a "Gem-Knight" monster as one of its Fusion Materials!"

"What? That's so awesome!" Jaden exclaimed. "I wish I had a Fusion Spell like that for my Heroes!"

"Maybe one day… but for now, you'll have to settle for watching how the Gem-Knights throw down!" Konami declared, grabbing two monsters from his hand as he spoke. "I'm combining my Gem-Knight Amber with my Gem-Knight Tourmaline, and since Tourmaline is a _Thunder_-type Monster, that means this Fusion's about to get a whole lot better!"

The Fusion Portal created by Konami's Spell flashed at the acknowledgment, and lightning began to pour from its innards as the two Gem-Knight creatures vanished inside.

"When a Mineral's hardened form clashes with the Light of Destruction, a stronger Knight is made! Shield! Sword! Become one now as the jousting knight is born! Appear before me, _Gem-Knight Prismaura!_

The Fusion Portal exploded in a wave of light, and in its wreckage, a shining fighter clad in shining white armor appeared. Lightning crashed around its form, and behind him, a long red cape whipped around the Field.

Gem-Knight Prismaura – (EARTH/Thunder/Fusion) – LV7 – (2450/1400)

"That's… so cool!" Jaden said, glancing at the monster with sparkly eyes.

"Heh," Konami chuckled. "I would have called him "electrifying" myself, but if you want to call him cool, that's fine! Especially since he's about to get even cooler!"

"Huh? How come?" Jaden asked.

"It's thanks to his special ability! See, like Chazz's Armed Dragon, my monster has a certain destruction effect. By sending one "Gem-Knight" card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can target one face-up card on the Field and destroy it! And since the only thing worth destroying is that monster of yours, it's time to say bye-bye to that Flame Wingman!"

Konami grinned as he copied one of Chazz's catchphrases, and he sent his Gem-Knight Alexandrite to the Graveyard.

"Go, Gem-Knight Prismaura! Destroy the Flame Wingman with your _Lightning Cannon!_"

The white knight harrumphed at the command, raising his lance to the ceiling and calling forth a bolt of lightning. In a flash, he turned it toward the winged hero, prompting the same bolt to lash out toward the Wingman's form.

"Not bad, but you're not gonna get away with it so easily!" Jaden exclaimed, activating his face-down. "I play – De-Fusion! This allows me to send one Fusion Monster I control back to the Extra Deck, and then Special Summon the monsters I used for its Fusion Material! So you can say adios to the Flame Wingman, and give a warm welcome to my Avian and Burstinatrix instead!"

The Flame Wingman roared as it dispersed into two separate beings just as the lightning coursed past it, prompting a narrow miss. Avian and Burstinatrix appeared side by side in Defense Position then, both gazing toward the large knight with serious expressions.

Elemental Hero Avian – (WIND/Warrior) – LV3 – (1000/1000)

Elemental Hero Burstinatrix – (FIRE/Warrior) – LV3 – (1200/800)

"That's all well and good," Konami muttered, "but don't forget I still have my regular attack to use as well! Gem-Knight Prismaura, attack Elemental Hero Burstinatrix! _Thunder Joust!_"

The Gem-Knight once again heeded Konami's words, and with a slow, hulking motion, it pierced the agile woman through with its lance, resulting in a shocking explosion.

Jaden grunted as Burstinatrix vanished in the wave of electricity, her cries the last thing heard before the familiar sound of shattering filled the stadium. Good thing he'd summoned her in Defense Position… that could have hurt.

"Since that's done, I'll set a card and end my Turn." Konami said, lowering his arms softly.

"Guess it's my move then!" Jaden laughed. "Man, this is really intense! Alright, here we go! Draw!"

**TURN THREE – JADEN**

"Heh, and what do you know? Just the guy I need!" Jaden exclaimed, smiling at he glanced at the Sparkman he drew before turning to the Bubbleman he'd had since the beginning. "Since you're here, all I need to do is use… this! The Spell Card Fusion Sage!"

"Fusion Sage?" Konami asked.

"That's right! It lets me add one Polymerization card in my Deck to my Hand, and now that I have it, I think you know what's about to happen, right?"

Konami grimaced.

"Fusion Time! I activate Polymerization to combine my Elemental Hero Avian with the Elemental Hero Bubbleman and Elemental Hero Sparkman in my Hand to create a brand new Hero!"

"Three monsters?" Konami whispered. "It's just like with Zane's Cyber End Dragon…"

"That's right! But while this monster may not have the Cyber End Dragon's firepower, it does have the will to win, and that's good enough for me!" Jaden shouted. "So come on out, Elemental Hero Tempest!"

The three chosen heroes collided in the Polymerization portal with a loud crack, and a whirlwind of water and electricity swept over the Field. As the torrid winds began to die down, a new being appeared, wielding the wings of Avian and suit of Sparkman. His visor was that of the elusive Bubbleman's as well.

He smirked.

Elemental Hero Tempest – (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) – LV8 – (2800/2800)

"2800 Attack Points… Darn!" Konami cursed.

"That's right!" Jaden grinned. "My Tempest has more power than that Prismaura of yours! I guess you could say this is pretty "shocking", huh? Get it, Get it?"

Konami began to grumble something incoherent but Jaden cut him off.

"Well, even if you don't, Tempest here will explain it to you plain and simple, by destroying that Gem-Knight! Go Elemental Hero Tempest!"

The warrior nodded, gliding into the air and dive-bombing Prismaura in a wave of spiraling electricity. The resounding explosion knocked Konami back slightly, and he found himself raising his Duel Disk to shield himself.

"Urgh…"

**KONAMI – 3650 LP**

**JADEN – 4000 LP**

"I think that'll end my Turn!" Jaden said cheerfully.

"Heh… great. This is great, Jaden." Konami said slowly. "Let's see just how far we can take this! My Turn! Draw!"

**TURN FOUR – KONAMI**

"I'm activating the effect of the Gem-Knight Fusion in my Graveyard! Now, by banishing one Gem-Knight monster in my Grave, I can bring it back to my hand, so adios' Alexandrite!" Konami said, watching the card disappear into the Banished Zone. He grabbed his Gem-Knight Fusion and smiled.

"Uh oh, that's not good!" Jaden said, recognizing the look for what it was."

"Oh it isn't, for you that is!" Konami declared. "I'm activating Gem-Knight Fusion a second time, Jaden! As you already know, that means I can fuse two monsters into one, as long as it's for a monster that has a Gem-Knight Fusion Material Requirement! Luckily for me, Ruby has just that! Begone, Garnet, Sapphire, combine your strengths now and become one!"

The two mineral knights nodded as they appeared in the swirling vortex, only to disappear a moment later.

"When two become one, the true power of the Gemstone is revealed!" Konami chanted. "Protect! Defeat! The fist of Garnet hardens now to become a red-hot soul who fights for his comrades! Appear now, _Gem-Knight Ruby_!"

A wave of red light swept across the Field then, and a similarly colored being with a long blue cape appeared, staring down upon the Field stoically. A javelin-shaped weapon was held tight in his grasp.

Gem-Knight Ruby – (EARTH/Pyro/Fusion) – LV6 – (2500/1300)

"And that's not all, because now I'm activating my Trap Card, _Call of the Haunted_!" Konami shouted, revealing the card he'd placed during his last turn. "With this, I can bring back one monster in my Graveyard, and the one I choose is Gem-Knight Prismaura! Rise Again!"

A sparking bolt of lightning crashed down then, and the shining knight reappeared in all his glory, moving to stand alongside his brethren.

Gem-Knight Prismaura – (Earth/Thunder/Fusion) – LV7 – (2450/1400)

"Heh, not bad, not bad!" Jaden grinned. "But neither of those monsters have the attack power to beat my Tempest!"

"Not for long, because I didn't bring Prismaura back just to stand around flaring lights!" Konami revealed. "I brought him back so I could use my Ruby's ability, which I'll be doing right now!"

Ruby's eyes began to glow at the words, and he reached toward Prismaura's form softly.

Jaden blinked in confusion, watching the scene with wide eyes. "Special Ability? What's that?"

"See, when I control a Gem-Knight Ruby, if I have another "Gem" monster on my side of the Field then I can Tribute it! Then… Gem-Knight Ruby gains Attack Points equal to the Attack of the Tributed Monster!"

"What?! But… your Prismaura has 2450 Attack Points!" Jaden exclaimed.

"That's right, and since Gem-Knight Ruby already has 2500… that means he rises up to a whopping 4950 Attack Points!" Konami exclaimed.

Ruby grabbed Prismaura then, absorbing the thunder knight's abilities to increase his own. His glowing eyes glowed brighter, and his body seemed to grow in size.

Gem-Knight Ruby – (EARTH/Pyro/Fusion) – LV6 – (4950/1300)

"Oh man…! This is gonna hurt!"

"You're damn right it is!" Konami said, his face wide with a grin. "Go, Gem-Knight Ruby! Attack Elemental Hero Tempest with your _Shining Storm!_"

Ruby nodded, launching his javelin across the field with Prismaura's power and piercing Tempest right through his chest. The warrior coughed once before shattering into golden light, and Jaden watched as the javelin continued its mighty descent toward him.

"Ah!"

The explosion was deafening.

**JADEN – 1850 LP**

**KONAMI – 3650 LP**

"That ends my Turn, and as a result, Gem-Knight Ruby's Attack Points return to their original state." Konami said with a wild gleam in his eye, watching his monster's powers dim.

Gem-Knight Ruby – (EARTH/Pyro/Fusion) – LV6 – (2500/1300)

"Heh…" Jaden muttered, his own eyes carrying a dark gleam. "Hehahaha… not bad, Konami! Not bad at all! But… I want to see more. I want you to show me more of that awesome power!"

"Me too, Jaden!" Konami replied. "Don't end things here! I want to see all of what your heroes can do!"

Their inhibitions were released. Something deep within them was attempting to break out, and the entire stadium could see it.

"Those two…" Bastion sighed from the sidelines, "They've completely turned this into a Fusion Contest!"

"Yeah…" Syrus agreed. "Still, it has been pretty entertaining, but another attack like that and Jaden's finished!"

"Indeed. He'll better hope whatever card he draws next is a good one, otherwise… he's finished." Bastion agreed. "What do you think, Alexis?"

He turned to face the girl, only to realize she was nowhere in sight. Neither was Wisteria, for that matter.

"Hm… strange."

"You're right. It is strange." Chumley said from above him, catching him by surprise.

"C-Chumley?! When did you get here?!" Bastion asked, glowering at the boy in surprise.

"I've been here the whole time." Chumley said. "Just because I stepped out for some Grilled Cheese doesn't mean I'll miss the whole thing you know! Anyway, look at those two. They're really into it."

"Quite so." Bastion agreed. "I hope they don't do something reckless…"

Unbeknownst to them, clashing auras of white and black were pouring from the Duelist's beings, filling the stadium with mass amounts of Duel Energy. The old man would have been proud, not that Konami knew it. He was far too focused on watching Jaden excel.

"My Move!" Jaden shouted, reaching for his next card. "And it better be a good one…! Draw!"

**TURN FIVE – JADEN**

"Perfect! I activate… _Monster Reborn!_" he shouted, showing off the Spell Card in his hand. "Now I can bring back one monster from the Graveyard, and I think you know which one I have in mind, don't you Konami?!" Jaden asked, a growing smirk on his face. "Rise up, Elemental Hero Tempest!"

The ankh of revival glowed as Jaden stated his choice, and the winged warrior appeared once more, ready to fight for Truth, Justice, and the Duelist Way.

Elemental Hero Tempest – (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) – LV8 – (2800/2800)

"And since your Gem-Knight Ruby doesn't have that Attack boost any more… it's time for us to throw down!" Jaden declared. "Go, Elemental Hero Tempest! Wipe it out with your _Glider Strike_!"

"Oh no! Ruby!" Konami shouted, watching his own monster suddenly leap up to engage in the battle.

The two monsters closed in on another, and Javelin met fist in a powerful combination of strikes. A blinding light engulfed the room then, but just as Konami's monster began to flicker and fade, the room went dark, and all was still.

"What?!"

"Huh?!"

Ruby and Tempest both fell back to their owner's sides of the Field, only for both of them to fade seconds later. What was going on? Their Duel Disks had been deactivated as well? Was there some kind of glitch?

A sudden noise roared from the top of the stadium, and everyone looked up, only to find a large, burly man carrying the unconscious forms of Alexis and Wisteria in each arm. A blue-haired girl clad in a long black coat stood next to him.

Konami and Duel Academy recognized her immediately.

"Kami!" he and Jaden shouted in unison, turning to face the girl angrily. "What's going on here?"

She said nothing, not even bothering to acknowledge Jaden's presence as she met Konami's glare with one of her own. She turned, then, leaving the big, burly man beside her to do the talking.

"Red Hat Konami, Jaden Yuki, we have taken that which is most precious to you. Meet us alone within the hour, or their corpses shall lie in the Abandoned Dorm forever."

They vanished then, and the lights turned back on.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, all hell broke loose.

"Silence!" Chancellor Sheppard roared, rushing down the steps toward the arena alongside Headmaster Foster. "I said _SILENCE!_"

The audience paused, their shouts and yells dying to a small whisper as the man glanced about.

"It seems… we have a problem." He said softly, exchanging a glance with Headmaster Foster. "Rest assured, we shall not allow this interruption to go unpunished, but, in the meantime, I'm afraid I must bring a halt to all festivities while we… _rectify_… this situation."

"Well I'm not sure about all _that_," Headmaster Foster interrupted. "The man was rather clear with his demands after all. Our two victorious Champions are to meet him alone… I don't see why we can't continue our little contest as is, Chancellor."

"There are people's lives at stake, Foster!" the Chancellor shouted. "Surely you don't expect me to-?"

"Ah, but there are less likely to be casualties if we abide by their demands, yes? Konami, Jaden, while we may no longer be able to finish this with such an intriguing battle… I do still have one idea. That man there, his size, his weight. Why, I do believe we've finally got a lead on this Duel Giant everyone's been getting all worked up about!" Headmaster Foster explained, rubbing his hands together with glee. "What say you? Care for one last joust with the man? From what I've heard, Jaden's already beaten him twice now, Chancellor. That undoubtedly gives you an advantage, does it not?"

Konami and Jaden glanced at each other knowingly.

That man was not the Duel Giant, at least, not the ones Jaden had dueled. Konami had seen him before though… the night he ran into Yuma…

"Very well…" Chancellor Sheppard sighed. "I suppose I have no choice. Then, the contest shall be thus! Whichever of you defeats the Duel Giant and rescues your peers… shall bring victory to the school you represent! Now, go! Before he has time to carry through on his threat! Go, to the Abandoned Dorm, and may Slifer fly with you!"

The two men left to update the crowd on the decision, leaving Jaden and Konami… to leave.

**-GX-**

**Jaden and Konami went to the Abandoned Dorm, arguing about who would have won the entire way…**

**-GX-**

"-And I'm telling you, that I would have drawn a Mirror Force-!" Konami's words died in his throat, and he turned to regard the cold, decrepit building before them. "Never mind, Jaden. We're here."

"So this is the Abandoned Dorm huh? Guess it lives up the name!" Jaden laughed. "Still… I'm a bit worried about Alexis. That friend of yours too was taken too, right?"

"Yeah… though I'm more worried about _why_ she was taken than the fact she _was_." Konami drawled.

After all, unlike Jaden, he remembered _exactly_ what the man had said when he left. _We've taken that which is precious to you…_ they better not be one of those fools who thought he and Wisteria were an item! If that was the case-!

"Ah, Jaden, hold on!" Konami shouted, realizing that during his inner monologue the Slifer had run ahead.

"No way! There's no telling what that guy may be doing to them in there! They could be hurt, or worse!"

"_He has a point…_" Konami thought, and he began to speed up.

They quickly stepped inside the dorm's lobby, glancing around at the decrepit building. It was just as Konami remembered it.

Bleak, in desperate need of repair… _cold_.

"So you've come, _Red Hat_." A voice whispered softly throughout the room, echoing all around them. Slowly, a pair of silhouettes appeared by the stairs, approaching them slowly.

One wave of blue hair was all it took for Konami to identify them.

"Kami!" he shouted, clenching his fists angrily. "What have you done with Alexis?!"

"And Wisteria." Jaden reminded him.

"And Wisteria!" Konami exclaimed.

A deep, burly voice gave them their response.

"They are safe." The big man beside Kami spoke coldly. "…for now."

Something inside the two boy's snapped, and they both attempted to rush the man at one.

As a result, they both fell for the trap.

No later did they take a single step up the stairs did the floor open up beneath them, sending them spiraling into the abyss below.

They would not be awake for some time.

"Prepare them." Kami said with a dark voice. "It's time I took back what they stole."

"Of course." The bigger man agreed, turning his back to the blue-haired girl. "By the time we're through with them… they'll never want to Duel again."

Kami laughed at that, and she turned to follow, leaving the Abandoned Dorm's lobby…

Empty.

* * *

Konami awoke to the sound of chains.

His vision was swimming, body numb and pained from the trap he'd fallen victim to. Beside him, Jaden too was slowly coming to his senses, and the grinding noise above them only increased with their movements.

It wasn't until the two raised their heads that they realized why.

Wisteria and Alexis were gazing upon them both worriedly, their bodies chained to a ritualistic wall neatly positioned across from a layer of spikes. Jaden was the first to realize the situation.

"Alexis! Hang on, we'll get you down from there!" he shouted, earning an annoyed look from Wisteria in the process.

"Glad to know that I rank so _high_ on your priorities," she drawled, "but I think you'll find you have other matters to attend to first."

The sound of soft chuckling behind them alerted them to the culprit's presence, and in unison, Konami and Jaden turned to face the sound.

"The woman is right." The large man from earlier said, garbed in clothes of black. "Do not believe you will be able to free them so easily."

"You were the one who fought Yuma a few days ago. The one who'd been using that Summoned Skull." Konami noted. "Just what are you doing here? What do you have to gain from attacking these two?"

"Money." The man answered simply, and a sinister grin made its way onto his face. "I've been paid a handsome amount to punish you and your friends here, the women were just a means to an end… though, I suppose one of them was more of an added bonus than anything."

Wisteria glowered at that, knowing full well what the man meant by his words.

"Kami." Konami remembered, realizing she had been present during the scene as well. "So she hired you to get back at me for beating her that day? While what happened to her was unfortunate, if she'd been paying attention she'd know that it wasn't all my fault-"

"Oh I know," the girl said, appearing behind the man's back to glare at the group, "but while you may not be the one at fault, _Red Hat_, it doesn't change the fact that it's due to you and your whore that my family fell to ruin! It took everything I had to hire dear Titan here to get back at you, and from what I can tell… he's done a _wondrous_ job."

"That's all well and good," Alexis felt the need to speak up. "But then why bring Jaden and I here? Your problem is with those two, isn't it?"

"Hmph. _I_ wasn't the one who told Titan to get you." Kami huffed, folding her arms impatiently.

"There is another client." The man, _Titan_, explained. "He was rather intrigued in getting you expelled, boy. But alas, his identity does not matter."

"That's what you think! But whatever, if you think I'm just gonna stand here and let you two do whatever you want you have another thing coming-!" Jaden started, only to be cut off by Titan's dark grin.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear, boy." Titan said. "I don't leave my victims completely defenseless after all."

"Not completely…? What are you talking about?" Konami asked.

"Your Duel Disks, idiot." Kami grunted, treating Konami with a cold stare. "We four are going to partake in a Duel, and if you lose, you'll have a lot more than mere expulsion to worry about!"

"As you've noticed, your friends are positioned quite nicely across from my wall of spikes." Titan explained. "You have 4000 Life Points. For each one you lose…" he snapped his fingers, and the spikes slid over, closer to Alexis and Wisteria's forms. "Your friends draw closer to death."

"What?!" Wisteria shouted. "What madness is this? Don't we get a say?"

"You lost your right to say anything the moment you dreamt up that little scheme of yours." Kami said. "Besides, _bestie_, I thought you loved Rituals? Isn't it high time you participated in one of your own?"

"This isn't good." Alexis mused. "Jaden, Konami, is there any chance of help coming?"

"Not for a while." Konami said, rising from his position to activate his Duel Disk.

"Yeah, Headmaster Foster made this our _real_ contest!" Jaden grinned.

Wisteria glowered at the information. "So that man saw fit to demote our position to that of mere trophies…? _Perfect._"

"You're right." Kami agreed, a sinister gleam in her eyes. "It is."

The four Duelists readied their Duel Disks, and they stared at each other fiercely.

"Looks like this is it then." Jaden spoke first.

Konami nodded in agreement. "The _real_ Final Duel."

"Whoever's monster lands the last attack?" Jaden asked.

"Agreed." Konami said, and they stared at the duo who interrupted their Duel angrily.

"Hmph." Titan smirked.

"Hn." Kami frowned.

"_Let's Duel/Battle/Get Our Game On/Finish This!"_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

**Arc Three - Duels of Darkness**

* * *

**END**


End file.
